


Say it With Flowers

by Redqueenswrath



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Blowjobs, Emotionally Hurt Sam, Epic uncle Crowley is epic, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Smut, Fluff and Smut, Gabe's a total badass and doesn't even know it, Gay Sex, M/M, Rimjobs, Ruby is a collossal bitch, Sam Has Self-Worth Issues, Sam Has a Large Cock, eventual Dean/Cas, flowershop au, past emotional abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-04
Updated: 2018-01-11
Packaged: 2018-11-23 07:47:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 30,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11398197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Redqueenswrath/pseuds/Redqueenswrath
Summary: An AU based on the prompt "So, how do you passive aggressively say 'fuck you' in flowers?". Gabriel owns a flower shop. Sam caught his soon-to-be-ex-girlfriend cheating.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I have no clue where this is going. I don't normally write AUs, but this prompt smacked me over the head and made me its bitch. So, here. Have a thing.

Gabriel loved his life. It was quiet, peaceful. He spent his days crafting works of art out of flowers and his nights spending time with his one true love- Netflix and Chunky Monkey ice cream. He hated conflict, shied away from fighting, eschewed violence. That's why, at the tender age of seventeen and ten months, Gabriel Milton had gathered his most cherished possessions and a single change of clothes in his backpack and fled his toxic family in the middle of the night. He hadn't looked back since.

 

At twenty-two and change, Gabriel graduated from community college with a Bachelor's degree in Art History. Three weeks later, he picked up a part-time job at the unimaginatively named Roslyn’s Roses and Blooms. Miss Rosyln, the owner, was an elderly woman, wrinkled and weather-beaten from decades of tending her home-grown flowers under the California sun. To a boy just growing into a man, she had seemed as old as the dirt she grew her blooms in. Ten years later, she seemed even more hunched and wizened as she turned the deed to the business over to the only employee who had ever been able to navigate her thorny exterior.

 

“But, Rosy! I can't take this!” Gabriel protested. She shushed him with a dirt-stained finger.

 

“Don't you ‘but Rosy’ me, boy. I'm eighty-eight years old. I can't keep up with the business and we both know it. You're the only one I can trust it to. Take it, it's yours.” Gabriel took the deed with shaking hands. Three days later, Miss Roslyn Withers was buried. Her children, spoiled brats that had never once visited their mother in all the time Gabriel had worked for her, tried to sell the flower shop out from under him, but Roslyn’s will was ironclad. Her worthless, feckless sons were to receive absolutely nothing, and the business was to go to Gabriel, including the apartment over the shop where she had lived most of her life in. 

 

Gabriel lived there now. Like Miss Rosy before him, he lived alone. Well, there was Briar, the massive Maine Coon cat, but the hairball had made himself at home in the shop three years ago and never left. He was less of a pet and more of a mooching roommate. 

 

Which all added up to Gabriel somehow having the best life  _ ever.  _ He was thirty four and owned his own business and home lock, stock, and barrel. The bakery next door gave him all the free pastries and coffee he could stand in exchange for small bouquets of fresh flowers for their tables. Castiel Novak, the owner and head baker of the Buzzy Bee, was now what Gabe might consider his best friend. Or maybe the baby brother he never wanted. Either way, Gabriel was in the middle of arranging a cluster of small sunflowers for Castiel when he heard the bell above the door jingle.

 

“Be right with you!” Gabe called as he finished tweaking the little arrangement. A masculine hand plunked a twenty dollar bill on the counter, causing the florist to look up. And up. And  _ up _ , at the tallest man he had ever set eyes on. And the hottest! Gabriel's brain screeched to a halt.

 

“How do I passive-aggressively say “fuck you” in flowers?” 

 

Gabriel swallowed the urge to laugh- Gigantor looked big enough to snap him in half without even breaking a sweat. Holy God, those  _ arms!  _ Delicious looking muscles bulged beneath red plaid flannel.

 

_ “ _ Well, that depends. ‘Fuck you, you're a terrible boss’ looks a lot different from ‘fuck you, you cheating skank’.” Mister Lumberjack visibly flinched.

 

“The second one.” Gabriel winced in sympathy. 

 

“For what it's worth, I'm sorry.” To cover his embarrassment, Gabriel turned and started rooting through the refrigerator full of blooms behind the counter.  

 

“This might take a while. I'm Gabriel, owner and sole employee of Petal to the Metal”. Gabriel heard a snort of amusement at the new moniker he had chosen in his first year of ownership. He selected several likely candidates and plopped them in front of the glowering Sasquatch.

 

“Sam.” The plaid-clad moose offered a small smile. Gabriel grinned widely.

 

“So, Sam! I have a handful of choices for your viewing pleasure. First, the lovely yellow rose for infidelity.”  Sam eyed the roses dubiously, but nodded, so Gabriel moved them to the “yes” pile. “Next, we have orange Lilies, known for telling the subject that you hate their guts.” Sam chuckled and nodded, and those went on the ‘yes’ pile too.

 

“Snapdragons are a personal favorite, for deception, and I recommend some petunias for resentment and another helping of anger.” Gabriel proffered the blooms and wiggled his eyebrows, getting a genuine laugh from the much taller man. “And finally, I recommend some Bradford Pear Tree blooms, just because they smell like jizz.” Sam cackled, throwing his head back and laughing until tears crept into the corners of his eyes. 

 

“Holy shit, that's amazing! How do you know all this off the top of your head?” Sam was still chortling as Gabriel trimmed the stems and began arranging them in a vase.

 

“Ten years of practice and a nasty breakup. Have a seat, I'll be at this for a bit. I've gotta get the “fuck you” bouquet just right!”

 

Sam watched in awe as the pile of flowers slowly became a masterpiece. “You're so good at that. I'm sorry to be taking up so much of your time.” Gabriel was quick to wave him off.

 

“Are you kidding me? This is the most fun I've had in ages. Before you lurched in, I was just putting together a few sunflowers for Cassie next door.” The brunette jerked in surprise.

 

“Cas? At the Buzzy Bee?” Gabriel nodded. “You know him?” 

 

“Know him? He's like the obnoxious little brother I never had. He opened up five years ago and immediately offered to trade me pastries in exchange for fresh flowers for his tables.” Gabriel patted his stomach. “What can I say? The man knows how to bribe me. Why?”

 

Sam laughed. “My brother Dean has been crushing on him for years but is too chickenshit to do anything about it.”

 

Gabriel set the last of the flowers in the vase. “And you want the scoop on how Dean-o should show his affection?” The shorter man reached for a bow to wrap around the neck of the vase, carefully tying it until it resembled a fist with middle finger extended. Sam cracked up again.

 

“Something like that.” Sam wiped his eyes, and Gabriel saw his opening.

 

“Tell ya what, Sammoose. You tell me what had you storming in here hell bent on a Fuck You floral arrangement, I tell you how Dean goes about getting in Cassie’s pants.” 

 

Sam ran his hands through his ridiculously long hair and heaved a sigh. “Ah, man… I caught my girlfriend cheating on me. I had gone away for the weekend to spend some time with Dean, but we had a fight so I came home early. She wasn't expecting me, I guess. Looked through the living room window and saw Ruby ass up.” Gabriel internally deflated- the second the word ‘girlfriend’ left Sam's mouth, his little glimmer of hope flickered and died.

 

“Fuck, that sucks.” Sam cut him off.

 

“It gets worse. The guy, Brady? He's my ex boyfriend.” Gabriel's head snapped up so fast he almost gave himself whiplash.

 

“Ex  _ boyfriend _ ??” Gabriel tried not to choke on his excitement- Sam was bi!

 

Sam obviously took his pleased but startled expression for something else entirely.

 

“Shit, I'm sorry. Look, I'll pay for the flowers and get out of your hair.” Christ on a cracker, those dejected puppy eyes should be illegal!

 

“What? No! Hell no! Samshine, I was just startled. You don't meet very many other switch hitters around here.” Disbelieving eyebrows shot up. “Besides, I haven't told you how Dean is supposed to woo Cas!” Sam snorted, but sat back down on his stool. Internally, Gabriel was doing a majorly inappropriate happy dance. Sam was bisexual AND about to be single! 

 

“So, not that I'm complaining about the business or the company, but why the floral Dear Jane?”

 

Sam gave a humorless chuckle. “Ruby was a high-maintenance bitch. She knows all about the meanings of flowers. Used to yell at me if I got her the ‘wrong’ kind.” 

 

Gabriel outright giggled. “Oh, then this is gonna be  _ perfect _ . Film her reaction and post it on YouTube!” He finished tweaking the arrangement with a massive shit-eating grin. “There. I think that's the most hate-filled bouquet I've ever laid eyes on.”

 

“It's perfect, Gabe. Thank you.” The nickname made Gabriel perk up even farther as Sam forked over the cash.

 

“It was my pleasure, Samshine. Now, about Cas… he's such a quiet little nerd, but his dry humor is shocking sometimes. He loves to read. He loves quiet dates to places he has never been before. He loves origami and tending to his bees. If Dean  _ really  _ wants to get Cassie’s attention, tell him to send live flowers, not cut ones, that his bees will like. This time of year, crocus and lilac would be a good bet.” Sam smiled brightly, and it took Gabriel's breath away. This smile was different, like a sunbeam had taken human form. The man in front of him was handsome to begin with, but when he smiled like that… in that instant, Gabriel fell in love with a man he had known for twenty minutes. 

 

“Thank you, Gabriel. I mean it.” Gabriel absolutely did  _ not _ blush as he passed the bouquet across the counter. Their fingers brushed and yup, now he's tomato red. Awesome. Sam gathered it in his arms and started for the door. He leaned his back against the glass to nudge it open, but paused just as the antique silver bell chimed merrily.

 

“So, want to make a wager?” Sam's false-casual tone snagged Gabriel's attention. 

 

“I'm always game for bets!”

 

“If she slaps me, I buy you breakfast from the Bee tomorrow.” Gabriel chuckled.

 

“You're on, Samsquatch. I like a little coffee in my sugar-milk, thank you, and those chocolate danishes Cas keeps hidden behind the counter.”

 

“It's a date.” Sam vanished through the door before the flabbergasted florist could come up with a snappy retort.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning, warning, warning! Major rating spike inbound!!! (Yes, more porn. Duh. It's ME!)

Gabriel wasn't eagerly anticipating Sam's gargantuan frame in his doorway. Nope. Not at all. He also absolutely was  _ not _ jumping every time he heard the bell above the shop door chime, nor was his head snapping up, whiskey-colored eyes shining hopefully. 

 

“Ugh.” He groaned after the fifth such disappointment. Not that he was annoyed by the unusually busy morning- it just meant more money in his savings account. His first painful lesson after having left his obscenely rich family was that having an emergency fund stashed away was absolutely vital. It had come in serious handy last spring, when Castiel's main oven had up and croaked, burning a hole in the shared wall in the process.

 

The bell chimed again, and the familiar scent of coffee and fresh chocolate danishes wafted through the shop. Gabriel grinned brightly- Sam! The florist’s smile faltered when he saw the fresh shiner decorating his favorite customer’s left eye. 

 

“Fuck! She  _ punched  _ you?!” Before he even realized what he was doing, Gabriel vaulted over the counter and met Sam in the middle of the checkered floor. Gingerly, the florist brushed his fingers over the purple blotch. 

 

Sam chuckled. “She's got one hell of a right hook.” 

 

“I'm calling the police.” Gabriel snarled furiously, but the taller man stopped him as he reached for his cell phone.

 

“Are you kidding me?  _ Look _ at me! I'm a clear foot taller than Ruby and probably ninety pounds heavier. They'll laugh. Or spin it around as  _ me _ hitting  _ her _ and it being self defense.”

 

Gabriel sputtered. “But, Sam!” 

 

“No. Let it go, ok? It's over and done with. I'm single. Let's celebrate with this plate of diabetes that Castiel sold me, ok?” Sam uncovered the plate, revealing a stack of danishes so fresh that they were still steaming. Sam turned those hazel puppy eyes up to eleven, and Gabriel instantly caved. With a sigh he nodded and returned to his side of the counter, this time taking the more sedate route of the swinging half door. Sam chuckled as he pulled up his stool.

 

“For somebody so… vertically challenged… that was a pretty impressive trick earlier.” Sam slid the foam coffee cup labeled ‘hummingbird nectar’ in Castiel's neat script across the counter. Gabriel flushed bright pink.

 

“Hey! I might be pocket sized, but I've got it where it counts!” He wiggled his eyebrows, hiding his embarrassment behind a lewd grin.

 

Sam chuckled and sipped his own black coffee.“Seriously, were you a gymnast or something?” Gabriel rolled his eyes. 

 

“So, please don't laugh… but I pole danced while I was in college.” The florist seized a danish and took a massive chomp out of it. Sam eyed him up and down but made no further comment. They ate in companionable silence for a while, until another customer burst in.

 

“Help! I pissed my girlfriend off!” The blond boy couldn't have been more than seventeen and was wearing the most terror stricken face Sam had ever seen. Gabriel chuckled and pointed up at the wall above the refrigerators that held pre-made bouquets. A large banner read ‘How mad is she?’, with options ranging from a single red rose for ‘mildly annoyed’ to ‘I MISSED HER BIRTHDAY!!”, which was apparently a large arrangement of two dozen roses, a box of chocolates, and a teddy bear. The kid glanced the sizing over and snagged the last one. Gabriel winced.

 

“That'll be forty dollars, and I recommend setting a notification on your phone for next year so you can preorder something to be delivered.” The teen nodded enthusiastically and slapped down the cash, barely even pausing to snag his receipt before darting out the door with his prize. Sam watched the whole interaction with a bemused grin.

 

Gabriel caught Sam's eye and burst out laughing. “I must make a good thirty percent of my income based on that stupid sign alone.” He drank some more of his coffee and took another big bite out of his pastry. After a few minutes, Gabriel cleared his throat.

 

“So Sammy, tell me about yourself. Because other than knowing that your brother has a crush on Cassie and that you're  _ very  _ recently out of a bad relationship, I know basically nothing about my new favorite customer.” 

 

Sam flushed. “It's Sam. Only Dean gets to call me Sammy.” Gabriel waved an apologetic gesture over his coffee cup. “Let's see… I'm Sam Winchester, I'm twenty-two years old. My birthday is May 2nd. I'm in my last year of school at Stanford, I'm going to be a lawyer, so I'm constantly studying over at the Buzzy Bee because my roommates are loud and obnoxious. I like dogs and spend my very little free time at the SPCA, working with the more neglected animals.” Gabriel's heart instantly melted. 

 

“Alright Samshine, in the interests of fairness… I'm Gabriel Milton, thirty-four years young, and a former trust fund baby who ran away from home and stripped his way through an Art History degree before somehow ending up working at a flower shop. I inherited the place from Miss Roslyn Withers several years ago. I live upstairs with one loud, obnoxious, mooching roommate by the name of Briar. He sheds everywhere and leaves half-eaten lizards on my doorstep.” Sam’s eyes bugged out of his head before he realized that Briar must be a cat.

 

“Wait, a woman named Withers owned a  _ flower shop? _ ” Sam tried to keep the immature giggle out of his voice. He failed miserably.

 

Gabriel chuckled. “She liked to joke that her gods must have a sense of humor, giving a child with a green thumb the size of Texas the name ‘Withers’. That's her on the wall.” The florist waved at a framed picture of a hunched, Yoda-esque woman up to her elbows in flower beds. Below the picture was a shelf that was absolutely covered in half-melted candles, incense sticks, colorful stones, fresh flowers, and a statue that Sam thought he recognized from his mythology class- Gaia, the Greek goddess and personification of Mother Earth. Sam smiled into his coffee. 

 

The pair chatted for a while longer before Sam glanced at his watch and groaned.

 

“I'm really sorry but I've got to get going if I want to make it to class on time.” The tall brunette actually did look really regretful and Gabriel was struck by the sudden desire to cuddle him and make it all better. 

 

“Ok, this might seem a bit too forward given that I just helped you break up with your abusive girlfriend, but here it goes… I like you, you seem to be a freaking awesome person. I'd like to take you out for dinner sometime. My treat.” Gabriel was instantly treated to another one of Sam's blinding sunbeam smiles.

 

“I'd love that. You...  well, I had plans for tonight but they obviously fell through,” Sam gestured at his bruised eye “So I guess I'm free for the night. Any chance you could say the same?” 

 

Gabriel choked down the urge to do a very unmanly happy dance. “I don't know… I'll have to talk to my boss. He's a real hardass sometimes.”

 

“Oh, I don't know. I've heard he can be bribed with fresh pastries. Sounds like a big softie to me.” Sam chuckled.

 

“Well, give me your phone number and I'll text you what I find out.” Gabriel winked, pulling out his phone and opening up a new contact. He offered it to Sam, who laughed and quickly punched in his info. 

 

“Gotta go!” The younger man waved goodbye as he darted out the door. Gabriel watched in amusement as Sam unlocked a bicycle from the lamp post outside and hopped on, buckling his helmet as he settled himself. Sam waved one more time before kicking off, passing out of sight quickly. 

 

Still grinning like a lunatic, Gabriel whipped his phone out and typed out a quick message. 

 

_ G: Hey, Samshine! Good news- bossman says I can have the night off! What time is your last class over?  _

 

A few minutes passed before his phone dinged. Gabriel grinned and started reading

 

_ S: See, I told you he'd say yes! I've got Criminal Law at 4, it's usually over by 4:15 on Friday's- prof hates ‘wasting the weekend’ _

 

_ G: A man after my own heart. Want me to pick you up? Or you gonna bike back over?  _

 

_ S: awww man don't start. I look like an idiot but my car broke down and I can't afford to fix it yet. _

 

_ G: didn't you say your brother is a mechanic? _

 

_ S: I already owe Dean so much, I can't ask that of him too _

 

_ G: is that your wallet talking, or your pride?  _

 

_ S: you hush. It's good exercise anyways. Class starting, gotta go. See ya tonight :) _

 

Gabriel was smiling so much that his cheeks ached. Nearly skipping in his enthusiasm, he trotted to the back door of his shop. He stuck his head out of the half open stable style door and yelled out into the garden.

 

“Hey, Cassie!” As expected, Castiel was out in their shared garden space, tending the herbs he grew and dried himself for herbal teas. Perpetual raven bedhead popped up from behind a flower bed.

 

“Good morning, Gabriel.” The seemingly straight-faced man’s lips twitched up in what Gabriel knew was his version of a beaming smile.

 

“Guess what?!” The blond called. Castiel dusted his palms off and gathered up the handful of mint stalks he had selected for drying. He stepped over the low wall that was supposed to separate his space from Gabriel's. It was usually ignored.

 

“What is it? You seem even more exuberant than usual.” Gabriel nodded enthusiastically, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

 

“I've got a date tonight- with Sam Winchester!” The florist crowed. This time, Castiel actually smiled broadly.

 

“That is excellent news, Gabriel. Sam is a kind and intelligent young man. I wish you luck.” Gabriel could hear the pride in the baker's voice. “I must get back inside and start preparing for the lunch rush. Here, for Miss Roslyn.” He handed Gabriel a few pieces of the mint and headed back into his bakery. Chuckling, Gabriel returned to the counter to work on some small bouquets, pausing to set the mint on Rosy’s shelf on the way by. He absolutely did  _ not _ check the clock every three minutes for the next six hours. 

 

*********

 

“Hey, Gabe!” A cheerful voice called over the door bell. Gabriel smiled back.

 

“Samshine! Just in time. Do me a favor and flip that sign over, will ya?” Sam obediently turned the plastic sign dangling in the window from “OPEN” to “CLOSED”.

 

“I just need to total out the drawer and do a little bit of paperwork, then we can go. Anything in particular you're craving?” Gabriel was deftly counting cash so fast it made Sam’s head spin.

 

“I'd kill for a good burger and a couple of beers right now.” 

 

“Oh Samoose, you aren't allowed to be so perfect. It's illegal, I'm sure of it.” Sam gave an embarrassed laugh and rubbed the back of his neck. “Done. Let me lock this up and we’re golden.” Gabriel darted into his office with the cash drawer and reappeared without it, shutting the door firmly behind him. 

 

“Shall we walk? I mean, I  _ might _ fit on the handlebars of your bicycle…” 

 

Sam threw his head back and howled with laughter. “Oh God, no. The last time I tried that, I ended up in the hospital with a broken arm!” 

 

“Now that's a story I need to hear. Come on, you can tell me while we hoof it to this awesome burger joint I know about six blocks from here.”

 

As they walked, Sam related the painful tale of how a six-year-old Sammy Winchester had begged his big brother into letting him ride on the handlebars of Dean's bike. Dean had crashed, Sam had gone flying, and broke his wrist on the landing. Sam had gotten stuck in a cast for six weeks, missing out on all the water-based fun that summer.

 

“Aww, poor ickle Sammykins!” Gabriel was fighting a losing battle with the giggles. Sam took a halfhearted swipe at Gabriel's shoulder.

 

“Oh, like you never did anything stupid with your siblings.” Gabriel immediately sobered.

 

“Not voluntarily. I'm the youngest of four boys, and by far the smallest. Lucifer in particular singled me out as his punching bag.”

 

Sam boggled at him. “Your parents named him  _ Lucifer _ ?”

 

“No, you moose. Lucien. But everybody called him Lucifer because… well, he's hellspawn. Luci was the firstborn of a set of twins- the  _ evil _ twin.” Gabriel went off into a tangent about Luci, the younger twin Michael, and the middle son Raphael.

 

“Mike and Luci were always fighting, and God help you if you got caught in the crossfire. They almost burned the house down once.” Gabriel completely missed the slight flinch from his much taller companion “Ralphie… he's quiet. Kept to himself, mostly. Heck, we forgot he existed half the time. He only came out of hiding to whoop my ass once in awhile, make sure I knew my place. Hey, we’re here!” The blond visibly shook himself to be rid of the encroaching bad mood.

 

Getting a spot at the bar was easy, despite the growing crowd. The bartender, a sweet and bubbly redhead whose crooked name tag proclaimed her to be Charlie, greeted the florist by name. 

 

“Hey, Gabe! The usual?” Her pleasant smile grew to a huge one the moment she realized that Gabriel had someone with him. “Oooh, are you on a  _ date? _ That's awesome! Finally getting back into it, huh?” Before Gabriel could get a word in edgewise, Charlie stuck her hand out to shake Sam’s. “Hi, I'm Charlie! Gabriel's been coming here three times a week since I started working here five years ago and he orders the same thing every single time and I don't think I've seen him bring a date in since Kali and I'm so-so-so happy to see him dating again, well here's a menu give me a shout when you're ready to order ok?” Everything was rattled off so fast that Sam couldn't keep up. A menu was pressed into his hand and she flounced off, leaving the younger man staring in slack jawed amazement.

 

“So, uh… meet Charlie?” Gabriel was turning an alarming shade of pink. Sam coughed.

 

“Is she  _ always  _ like that?”

 

“Unless she's sleeping, and even then I have my doubts. Charlie’s a computer wiz who literally only keeps this job for fun.” Gabriel took a big swig of the beer that Charlie dropped in front of him on her way by. 

 

“Who's Kali?” Gabriel had been expecting that question, but it didn't stop the pang of hurt that went through him even several years after the fact.

 

“An ex. Bad breakup, suffice to say that you're not the only one who has sent a floral Fuck You.” Sam looked at him oddly, obviously expecting a bit more detail. “She despises lilies. I sent her a bouquet of over a hundred of them.” Sam snorted and buried his nose in his menu. He eventually decided to just go with a regular burger and a side of fries. When Gabriel complained that it was boring, Sam nudged him with his shoulder.

 

“Says the man that has apparently eaten the same thing three times a week for at least five years. If I try their basic burger this time, I’ve got a good baseline for next time!” Gabriel’s heart stuttered at the implication that there would be a ‘next time’. Oh fuck, he hoped so! Charlie took their orders and handed Sam a beer of his own. 

 

“Back in about twenty, boys!” The ginger pranced away, stealing glances at them over her shoulder the whole way to the kitchen. 

 

“So…. what now?” 

 

Gabriel thought for a moment. “How about swapping our most embarrassing stories? That way, the evening can only improve!”  

 

Sam snorted beer up his nose. “Well, that’s one way to get to know each other! Fine, but you have to start.” Gabriel immediately launched into a story about how a senior Luci had stolen all of freshman Gabriel’s clothes out of his locker while Gabriel had been in gym class, leaving only a white dress with little angels all over it behind. Gabriel had been forced to don the dress and sprint to the principal’s office to call their dad.

 

“The dress was alarmingly short and the bastard even took my boxers. Half the school got a good look at my ass. They called me Angel Soft until I graduated.” Sam was slumped over the bar, pounding the wood with his fist as he cackled. 

 

“There, you have my worst, most humiliating memory, plus blackmail for all of eternity. I’ve officially bared my soul to you, we might as well get married at this point.” Gabriel’s cheeks resembled a tomato with a sunburn. Sam finally calmed himself, drew in a shuddering breath, and patted Gabriel on the shoulder.

 

“If you can believe it, I can top that. Fuck, this one time, Dean decided that I needed to get laid. Apparently, being sixteen and still a virgin is a felony offense in the Winchester household. He gave me a shot of whiskey to keep me from fighting him, then stripped me naked, gagged me, tied a bow around my junk, dumped me on my first girlfriend’s doorstep, rang the bell, and ran away. Her dad answered the door.” Gabriel burst into hysterics. Charlie found them leaning on each other, tears of laughter in their eyes, when she dropped off their food a few minutes later.

She watched them indulgently as she refilled their beers.

 

The rest of the date passed so quickly that Gabriel felt like he had been in a time warp. Sam had been getting progressively more and more tipsy, his cheeks taking on a lovely rosey hue, and at some point, the pair had tangled their feet together in a drunken game of footsie. Gabriel watched his increasingly animated companion with something alarmingly akin to adoration. Finally, Sam slipped off to the bathroom and Charlie was quick to corner the florist.

 

“Gabe, you are so hopelessly smitten. It’s kinda sickening.” The redhead leaned against the counter and stole a mouthful of Gabriel’s beer. 

 

He chuckled and nodded. “He’s...perfect.” 

 

“Oh,  _ barf. _ You’re disgustingly in love. I expect an invitation to the wedding.”

 

Gabriel grabbed her hand and looked her dead in the eyes, his expression drunkenly earnest. “Of course, Charlie. You and Cas are my best friends. I promise you can be bridesmaids!” Charlie chuckled fondly.

 

“Alright, buster. You’re officially cut off. Take Gigantor there home and have some fun, ok? And I want all the sordid details first thing tomorrow!”

 

The blonde cocked his head in confusion. “But Charlie… you’re gay. You don’t like penis, nothing less two of them.” Charlie choked on the fry she had pilfered from Sam’s plate.

 

“Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and the camel… That’s not what I meant! Go on, the meal’s on the house. Scat!” Sam chose that moment to reappear. 

“Come on, Samsquatch. Time to get going!” Sam helped him off the bar stool, though how much he actually  _ helped _ was questionable at best, and the giggling pair toddled their way to the door. The cool evening air helped sober Gabriel a little bit, though his gait was still unsteady due to the mountain of a man leaning on him. Together, they slowly meandered their way back down the road to Petal to the Metal.

 

Once they were finally at the side entrance of the business that doubled as Gabriel’s home, he found himself loathe to let the evening end. Sam seemed to be of the same mind, since he was scowling at his bicycle in a manner that made Gabriel concerned that it might burst into flames. 

 

“I had a great time tonight, Gabe.” Sam wasn’t slurring any more, though his voice definitely still held that soft quality of a man pleasantly buzzed. Gabriel grinned crookedly up at him.

 

“Likewise, Samshine.” Without quite realizing what he was doing, Gabriel reached up to touch the prominent bruise decorating Sam’s eye. Sam hummed and leaned into it.

 

“Sam, I really want to kiss you right now.” Gabriel breathed. A startled breath, then a lazy smirk from the taller man.

 

“Why don’t you, then?” Gabriel groaned and tangled his fingers into Sam’s mane, using it to pull him down as he popped up onto his tiptoes. Their lips brushed, then crashed together with far more heat than any first kiss Gabriel could remember. Granted, all but two of his brain cells had fried the moment Sam’s massive palms found his hips, but still. 

 

“Fuck…” Sam ground out around Gabriel’s mouth, yanking the smaller man even closer. Gabriel hissed in approval-agreement-moremoremore and nipped Sam’s lower lip. An ear-splitting honk from a passing car startled the pair into separating, though Sam’s fingers remained locked into Gabriel’s belt loops. 

 

“For God’s sake, tell me we can take this upstairs.” Gabriel was already fumbling with his keys. Sam nodded desperately, already trying to pull Gabriel back to his chest. Gabriel, for his own part, was already falling hopelessly in love with being held by the much larger, stronger man. He spun around and scrambled to open the door even as Sam attacked the arch of his neck with nibbles and kisses. 

 

“Sam...Sam! Fuck, baby, I can’t see straight enough to get the door open with you doing that.” Gabriel chuckled. Sam growled and pressed the unmistakable evidence of his arousal against Gabriel’s lower back.

 

“Nothin’  _ straight _ about any of this.” Sam huffed a breathless laugh into Gabriel’s hair. 

 

“Oh, that was  _ bad. _ You’re gonna pay for that one, Samshine.”

 

Sam’s laugh turned dark. “You promise?”

 

“Oh thank fuck!” The door swung open and Gabriel dragged Sam inside by his belt. He threw the deadbolt again and locked his lips with Sam’s, backing up the stairs without breaking the nearly wild kiss. Obviously frustrated by how slowly they were moving, Sam hoisted the smaller man up, making Gabriel wrap his legs around his waist to keep his balance.

 

“Oh shit…” Gabriel felt like swooning at the blatant display of strength. Sam said nothing, preferring to plunder Gabriel’s mouth with his tongue. Once up the stairs, Gabriel broke away long enough to give directions.

 

“Through the living room, second door on the right!” Sam obeyed, walking half blind as Gabriel sucked a hickey into the column of his throat. Sam kicked the door open and carried his almost-lover over to the bed, dropping him in the center before crawling over him to continue their makeout session. Gabriel was quick to start fumbling with the buttons of Sam’s flannel. He made a triumphant noise as he pushed it off the other man’s shoulders, only to be stymied by Sam’s undershirt.

 

“Jesus fuck, what are you? A Russian nesting doll?” Sam laughed and hauled the shirt over his head, toeing out of his battered Converse at the same time. Gabriel chuckled with him, trading playful kisses as they helped each other out of their clothes. 

 

“You know… I don’t… usually put out...on the first date.” Sam joked around kisses. Gabriel hummed thoughtfully.

 

“Well.... technically this is our third date, right? The flowers… hmmmm…. Breakfast this morning... _ fuck.... _ Then dinner… sex on the third date is totally kosher, right?” 

 

Sam paused, then burst out laughing. “Are you sure  _ you _ shouldn’t be the lawyer, here?”

 

“You should hear me justify Castiel’s ‘Death by Chocolate’ cake.” Gabriel pounced, flipping his now-naked partner onto his back, and sat back to take his first good look at the miles and miles of sunkissed skin on display. The florist had never been jealous of the sun before. Sam shifted under his new lover’s gaze, seeming to shrink inwards on himself. Gabriel cupped his cheek.

 

“Baby, you’re so beautiful. Don’t hide from me.” Gabriel kissed him softly, getting an embarrassed but pleased purr in response. Content with Sam’s slowly relaxing body language, Gabriel nuzzled his way down the other man’s neck and kissed across his chest until he reached the small bud that was Sam’s left nipple. He took it in his mouth with a wicked grin and sucked gently. Under him, Sam groaned. 

 

“Oooh, somebody has sensitive nipples!” Gabriel smirked gleefully and darted his tongue out to flick over the sensitive nub, slowly drawing it up into a tight peak. Satisfied with his work, he kissed his way over to the right nipple and started all over. Sam writhed and whimpered.

 

“Fuck, Gabe… quit teasing already!” His hands dug into Gabriel’s dark blonde hair and tugged, forcing him to release the puckered flesh. 

 

“Mmmmph. Impatient, aren’t you?” The florist chuckled against Sam’s sternum, but started working his way downward anyways. Slow licks, nibbles, and kisses trailed down the taller man’s sparse chest hair, over his abs, along the far-too-enticing V of muscle below them, and finally to his prominent right hip bone. He nuzzled there for a moment before letting his attention fall on Sam’s cock- the thick, veiny length that curved to the left and was resting against his thigh. 

 

“Damn, you’re huge all over, aren’tcha?” Gabriel licked his lips in anticipation.

 

Sam chuckled. “Size queen, much?” The blonde winked at him, the only warning Sam had before Gabriel’s mouth engulfed the head of his cock. 

 

“Aagh!” Maybe not his most articulate response, but who could blame him? Gabriel hummed and flicked his tongue rapidly over the head, dipping it into the slit to gather the beads of precum that leaked out. As he worked, Gabriel wormed one hand up to cup Sam’s heavy sack. Sam groaned in response. Gabriel bobbed up and down on Sam’s shaft, trying to catalogue the amazing variety of delicious noises pouring out of the other man’s throat. His favorite was quite possibly the choked-out groan that resulted from Sam’s discovery of Gabriel’s utter lack of a gag reflex.

 

Sam had obviously given up on even trying to be quiet or still and was writhing and cursing freely. “Fucking son of a bitch! Christ, G’briel… your  _ tongue! _ Fuck, so good, baby…” Gabriel came up for air, panting hard with his own arousal. He pressed desperate kisses to Sam’s inner thighs.

 

“Holy shit, I want to eat you out so badly right now…” Gabriel breathed against Sam’s leg. The Winchester swore in a choked voice and tugged Gabriel’s hair.

 

“Fucking do it!” Sam’s hips arched up, announcing his enthusiastic approval of the idea. Gabriel lit up like it was his own personal Christmas and rucked Sam’s legs up over his shoulders, exposing the tight whorl of muscle hidden there.

 

The first flick of his tongue over Sam’s hole had the taller man arching clear off the bed and howling. Without pausing to allow Sam to catch his breath, Gabriel buried his face in his partner’s ass and went to town, teasing and lapping until Sam was a sobbing mess above him. He speared his tongue into Sam and began working him open. The younger man couldn’t keep still, writhing and squirming and pressing Gabriel even deeper.

 

Gabriel quickly worked up to a punishing rhythm, worming his tongue as deeply as he could and reveling in the gutpunched noises he was tearing from his lover. Oh, he sounded so beautiful! Gabriel lapped at the spit-slick hole over and over and was forced to grab Sam’s thighs to keep him from bucking even harder. The man’s legs were shaking violently and his fingers were tangled into Gabriel’s curls so tightly that it was verging on painful.

 

With a wanton groan, Sam hiked his legs up, folding himself almost in half and completely exposing himself for his new lover. Gabriel echoed Sam’s cry and swirled his tongue all around the rim before plunging in again. Oh, those beautiful, beautiful noises…. Gabriel wanted to listen to them forever, just lose himself in Sam’s beautifully responsive body and never resurface. He let his teeth drag very slightly over the delicate flesh and Sam jerked violently.

 

“Jesus  _ fuck! _ Just like that, Gabe! Oh, fuckfuckfuck…! ‘M so close!” Gabriel groaned brokenly and redoubled his efforts, ignoring the slight cramp in his jaw as he worked to bring Sam to an untouched orgasm. Moments later, his hard work paid off in spades as Sam came with a scream. Gabriel made a pleased noise and quickly lapped up every stray drop of cum all the way up to the puddle that pooled in Sam’s belly button. The younger man laughed breathlessly and tried to squirm away.

 

“Ticklish!” He panted. Gabriel grinned, taking in the fucked-out expression Sam was wearing. With his sweaty hair plastered to his scalp and his chest rising and falling rapidly, he was the most beautiful thing Gabriel had ever seen. Yup, it was official. Gabriel was hopelessly smitten with the man collapsed bonelessly on his bed.

 

“I’ll be right back, babe.” Gabriel trotted gingerly out of the room, trying to move quickly despite the painful boner he was sporting. A quick scrub of his teeth and some mouthwash later, he rejoined a dozing Sam. The younger man roused as Gabriel nuzzled his neck, treating him to another languid smile.

 

“Fuck me.” Sam breathed, and Gabriel was extremely grateful for the staying power that came with age, otherwise he might have cum on the spot. As it was, he had to take several deep breaths through his nose to keep his composure. 

 

“Gladly, Samshine.” Gabriel fumbled for his bedside table, wrenching the drawer open and snagging a bottle of lube. Suddenly, he swore loudly and thumped his forehead off Sam’s sternum.

 

“What, babe? What’s wrong?” The fog cleared from Sam’s eyes and he sat up.

 

“I don’t have any condoms. Haven’t been with anyone but my right hand in… well, since Kali.” Sam did the mental math on that one and winced at the three-year dry spell, but kissed Gabriel’s forehead.

 

“You just tongue-fucked me, and  _ now _ we’re worried about condoms?”

 

Gabriel chuckled breathlessly. “True. You sure?” 

 

“Fuck, yes! I always used condoms with the bitch, I’m clean. I need your cock in me ten minutes ago, come on!” The desperation in Sam’s eyes would have been comical if it wasn’t so goddamned sexy. Gabriel popped the cap and drizzled some of the cold liquid over his fingers. He warmed it a bit before teasing one fingertip into Sam’s hole. The ring of muscle clenched around the intrusion before quickly relaxing. Sam squirmed, trying to force more of Gabriel’s finger into himself. 

 

The blonde chuckled. “Impatient.”

 

“Horny!” Sam spat back, writhing even more as Gabriel teased and tugged at the rim of his hole. Finally, he relented and sank two fingers to the knuckles into his lover’s body. Sam gave the sluttiest moan yet and arched desperately. 

 

“More…” Sam groaned, apparently unable to lay still. Gabriel grinned and crooked his fingers, nailing Sam’s prostate. The other man shrieked and Gabriel wormed another finger in, scissoring him open. 

 

Finally, Sam couldn’t wait any more. “Come on, Gabe! Please, just fuck me already! Please!” The moan he got in response was broken and breathless as Gabriel moved into position. He braced one hand by Sam’s head and quickly slicked his cock with the other, bumping the crown against Sam’s rim. 

 

“Ready, baby?” Gabriel’s lips brushed Sam’s as he spoke. Sam wrapped his long legs around Gabriel’s hips and nodded. Gabriel pressed in, closing his eyes against the insanely tight clench of Sam’s body around his shaft. The blonde shook with the effort it took to hold off from snapping his hips forward and burying himself to the hilt in one thrust. They kissed again, gently trading breaths until Sam nodded, nudging his heels into Gabriel’s ass to get his point across.

 

Gabriel chuckled. “Bossiest bottom ever.” He withdrew until just the tip of his cock held his lover open.

 

“Keep that attitude and you’ll never get to ride this.” Sam fisted his own rapidly refilling cock with a smirk.

 

“Goddamned youthful refractory period.”

 

“Fuck me already, old man!” Gabriel barked a laugh and obeyed, slamming into Sam’s body with all the power he could put behind it. “Ah! Son of a fucking bitch, again!” Gabriel snapped his hips again and again, the near violent rhythm making his balls slap against Sam’s ass as he drove into the man under him. Sam howled and dug the nails of his free hand into Gabriel’s back, leaving long welts. His other hand jacked his cock in counterpoint to Gabriel’s punishing thrusts.

 

Gabriel lost himself in Sam’s hot clench, letting go and fucking into him with abandon. He could hear his pulse hammering in his ears- or was that Sam’s? The line between one body and the next blurred with each sweat-slicked slide, each wild kiss with too much teeth, each slamming thrust that shoved Sam farther and farther up the bed until he had to let go of Gabriel’s hair and brace himself on the headboard.

 

“This...hard...enough...for...you...brat?” Gabriel panted out, his lungs and thighs alike searing with the effort he was putting into fucking Sam through the mattress. Sam’s garbled response sounded a lot like pleas for Gabriel to  _ just let him cum, already! _ Gabriel grinned, all teeth, and angled up to slam straight into Sam’s sweet spot. The younger man screamed, full-throated and just a hair from breaking entirely, and shot a second load between their already sweat soaked chests. The agonizing hot clench of Sam’s channel tightened further in orgasm and Gabriel was thrown headlong over the edge, momentarily feeling as though he was flying before plummeting down again.

 

Gabriel must have blacked out for a moment, because when he came to, Sam was cradling him against his chest and stroking sweat-matted blond hair. Gabriel’s softening cock was still buried inside the other man, and he felt a surge of possessive pride in that- Sam had let him cum inside his body. It felt like marking his territory in some way. 

 

“I think you’ve killed me.” Sam croaked.

 

“Not a bad way to go.” Gabriel muttered to Sam’s collarbone. His muscle-y pillow shook with laughter and Gabriel cringed at the sensation of Sam’s body clenching around his oversensitive dick. He slid out, accompanied by a gush of jizz. 

 

“Been a while?” Sam joked, and Gabriel poked him in the chest. 

 

“Shaddup, you. You’re far too chatty for someone who came twice in under twenty minutes.” Gabriel flopped to the side, grateful for the fan that was slowly wafting cool air down at their overheated bodies. Sam rolled with him and yelped.

 

“Aw, man! I’m not sleeping in the wet spot!” Gabriel burst out laughing.

 

“And here I was wondering how I was going to ask you to stay the night. Go get a shower, I’ll strip the bed. You can help me put fresh sheets on. Towels are in the closet.” Sam nodded agreeably and hopped up, only to land flat on his ass as wobbly colt-legs refused to support him. Gabriel leaned over the side of the bed.

 

“Holy crap! You ok, Gigantor?” A fist appeared by his nose and presented a middle finger. Gabriel laughed.

 

“Maybe in the morning. One round is about all I get these days before I need a nap, kiddo.” He stood up and hauled Sam to his feet, sending him towards the master bathroom with a slap on the ass. Gabriel heard the shower turn on, then what sounded like Sam using his mouthwash while the water warmed up. The florist stripped the bed, leaving everything in a pile in the corner, and fished out clean sheets and a blanket from the closet just as Sam came out of the bathroom with a towel around his hips. Gabriel dropped the bedding in a pile and pulled Sam in for a soft kiss. 

 

“Fuck, you’re beautiful.” He murmured against Sam’s lips. Sam snorted disbelievingly, and Gabriel scowled. “You are! You’re the most handsome man I’ve ever laid eyes on!” Something in Sam’s expression told Gabriel everything he needed to know- Ruby hadn’t just yelled at him over flowers, she had probably been mentally abusing him for ages. The very thought broke his heart. “Baby, you really, really are. You’re so far out of my league, we’re not even on the same planet. I can’t believe you want anything to do with me, but I’m grateful. Now, come on. Old men like me need our rest.” 

 

Tension broken, Sam giggled and snagged the bottom sheet, helping Gabriel put it on. “You’re gonna need all the energy you can get to keep up with me, then.” Gabriel lobbed a pillow at his head. It took them longer than it should have to finish the chore since they kept devolving into pillow fights.

 

“I’m going to go clean up. I’ll be right back, gorgeous.” Gabriel kissed the tip of Sam’s nose and pulled the black and red striped blanket up the younger man’s chest.

 

“You gonna tell me a bedtime story once you’re done tucking me in?” Gabriel snorted.

 

“Sure. Once upon a time, there was a badly behaved, sassy Moose. And because he was bad, he didn’t get homemade pancakes for breakfast. The end.” Sam perked up.

 

“Pancakes?”

 

“Oi! Put those heart eyes away, you walking emoji. Pancakes, I promise.” Gabriel ducked into the bathroom and took the fastest shower of his life, but Sam was already snoring when he got back into bed. 

 

“Good night, Sam.” Gabriel kissed his forehead. Sam made a sleepy but happy noise and curled himself around the shorter man.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm on a roll!

Gabriel woke up early. Sadly, it was a byproduct of being a gardener and florist for a living- up early, take care of the plants, start making bouquets. Normally, he didn't mind. He would pop over to the Bee for some wake-up juice and spend an hour tending his garden with Castiel just a few yards away. They would chat, drink coffee, and greet the sun together. This had been their routine every morning for five years, and it was a comforting ritual. But today, Gabriel was loathe to leave the warmth of his bed. Sam was octopused around him with his nose buried in Gabriel's messy hair. The very first rays of predawn light were peeping in through the window and highlighting the younger man’s sleep-lax face. Gabriel stoked his cheek, scowling at the bruise that was starting to turn green around the edges. 

 

Sam stirred a little and made a sleepy noise. “G’brl…” He sighed as a small smile appeared on that lovely face. The object of his affection’s heart clenched.

 

“I'm here, Samshine.” Gabriel murmured. Castiel was just going to have to wait. The florist couldn't resist pressing a kiss to the sleeping man’s plush lips. Sam didn't respond at first, but as Gabriel started to pull away, the younger man’s lips blindly chased his. 

 

“Hmmm… g’morning…” Sam hummed, his voice sleep-rough. Gabriel chuckled and kissed him again.

 

“Just barely. I usually get up early and get some gardening done. It's Saturday, so I  _ do _ need to open the shop for a few hours.” Sam made a disappointed noise. “I know, I know. Adulting sucks. But it's gotta happen eventually.”

 

“Pancakes.” Sam's bottom lip stuck out like an overgrown toddler.  _ Very  _ overgrown. A giggle escaped Gabriel's throat before he could stop it.

 

“Pancakes first.” The blonde agreed. “I'd lend you some clothes but uh… I'm pretty sure you'd just Hulk out of them.” 

 

“You just want me to wander around naked.” Sam grumbled playfully, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He engulfed Gabriel in a bear hug and rolled them so the smaller man was lying on Sam's broad chest. Gabriel rested his chin on his forearms and spend a ridiculous amount of time gazing into his new lover’s eyes. Sam laughed and made a silly face at him. 

 

“Well casual nudity is always a plus in my books, but I think Cassie might complain if you accompanied me out to the garden like that. Tell you what- I'll throw your clothes in the wash before I make breakfast. The thing is stupidly fast, your stuff will be dry by the time we’re done eating.” Gabriel bumped their noses together, earning a heartbreakingly adorable grin. 

 

“But I want to keep you in bed and have my way with you forever.” The pout was back and the puppy eyes ratcheted up another notch. Gabriel's heart did this strange flipping thing at the idea of waking up to this on a routine basis.

 

“Maybe not  _ forever _ \- food breaks are a must.” Gabriel covered his surge of feels with humor. 

 

“But you look good enough to eat.” Sam growled and suddenly flipped them over, settling himself between Gabriel's thighs like he had done this a hundred times before. He dipped to kiss the other man, soft and sweet and utterly unbothered by stale breath. Gabriel sighed into it and clung to the man above him as Sam rolled his hips languidly, slotting his morning wood between Gabriel’s thigh and growing erection. 

 

“Yes…” Gabriel purred. His hips arched to meet Sam's next slow thrust. Sam groaned low in his chest. He pressed a tender kiss to Gabriel's forehead and wormed his hands under Gabriel's shoulders. They moved together, grinding against each other in the dim early morning light. Gabriel cupped Sam's cheek and the younger man kissed his palm.  _ I’m in love,  _ Gabriel realized. _ Completely and utterly and irreversibly in love with a man he had known for three days.  _ The thought should have filled him with dread, but he felt nothing but utter contentedness with it. 

 

“Oh, God…” Gabriel hissed, driving his hips up to meet Sam's. Their cocks ground together, slipping and sliding with the most delicious friction, and Gabriel knew he wasn't going to be able to hold out long- not with the way Sam had buried his face in the crook of his neck and was murmuring a steady stream of half-coherent praise in between kisses and nips. 

 

“Sam… fuck, not gonna last…” Gabriel gritted out. Sam nibbled at his earlobe and the older man arched, mewling. 

 

“Right there with you, baby.” Sam grunted. He worked one massive hand between their bellies and caught both of their cocks in his grip, creating a channel for them to slide though. Gabriel swore and cried out as the tension building in his gut snapped and released. Sam followed a heartbeat later with a low moan, thrusting erratically through their combined fluids a few times before collapsing on top Gabriel.

 

“Oof! You're heavy.” Gabriel grumbled, but he made no move to shove Sam away. Sam huffed a winded laugh and rolled to the side, retrieving his discarded shirt off the floor to clean them up. Gabriel stretched and yawned before rolling out of bed. Sam eyed him in disbelief.

 

“You're really getting up?” Gabriel gave a dramatic sigh.

 

“Sadly, yes. My pet Moose needs clean clothes and pancakes.” Sam threw a pillow at him, which he easily dodged. “Go back to sleep, I'll wake you up for breakfast.” 

 

*****

Laundry attended to, Gabriel got dressed and started mixing up pancake batter. For good measure, he chopped up some fresh strawberries and fried a bunch of bacon while the pancakes sizzled away merrily. As he waited, he shot a text off to Castiel.

 

_ G: Gonna be a bit late. Sorry :( _

 

Less than a minute later, Castiel's distinct text tone of buzzing bees went off.

 

_ C: I assume your evening went well? _

 

_ G: How did you know? _

 

_ C: Samuel’s bicycle is still outside. And I could hear you. _

 

Gabriel flushed pink. Stupid, thin walls!

 

_ G: Shit, I'm sorry. We’ll keep it down. _

 

_ C: It is quite alright. I have headphones. By the way, thank you for the lilacs. My bees will certainly appreciate them. _

 

Gabriel flipped a pancake deftly before checking the new message. Wait, what?

 

_ G: I didn't give you lilacs.  _

 

_ C: there is no need to pretend, Gabriel. _

 

_ G: No, seriously. I didn't send you any flowers, lilacs or otherwise.  _

 

His phone was silent for several long minutes, and Gabriel took the opportunity to plate the pancakes and dust the strawberries with powdered sugar.

 

_ C: then who on Earth would have sent me a whole lilac bush the size of a small child in a pot? There's no note! _

 

The florist felt like he had been whacked over the head as he burst out laughing.

 

_ G: how badly will you hate me if I pretend to have no idea who your new admirer is? _

 

The response was instant this time.

 

_ C: GABRIEL MILTON, if you don't tell me, I will withhold coffee for a week! _

 

_ G: Sorry Cassie, I don't respond well to threats. Gotta go, there's a naked Moose in my bed that needs his pancakes. _

 

_ C: Gabriel, please tell me. _

 

_ C: Gabriel, be reasonable. _

 

_ C: Gabriel!!!  _

 

The florist muted his phone with a giggle.

 

*****

As it turned out, Sam had passed out again after their sleepy morning romp. The sight of him sprawled out on Gabriel's bed, naked in a sunbeam, filled the older man with so much joy that his chest ached. He set the food down and crept down to the shop, retrieving a bud vase and a single purple lilac stem. He stated at the little group of flowers, musing on their meaning- new love. He toyed with the stem for a few moments before filling the small vase with water and placing the blooms in it. He returned to his home and added the flowers to the breakfast tray, along with a quickly scrawled note.

 

_ Samshine, you looked so cute sleeping that I just couldn't wake you up. Enjoy your breakfast, your clothes are drying in the laundry room (off the kitchen!) I'll be downstairs working for a bit. Come hang out with me when you're ready _

 

_ ~Gabriel _

  
  


Once in his shop again, Gabriel flipped the sign to ‘open’ and busied himself with testing out a few arrangements for the rapidly approaching Mother’s Day- it was always a busy holiday for him and he liked to have new and inventive bouquets available. 

 

Gabriel worked in peace for about half an hour before his bell chimed for the first time. He glanced up and immediately burst into a happy grin. Sam was standing there, a lopsided smile on his face and two cups of coffee in his hands.

 

“Castiel says he ‘deeply apologizes for threatening to withhold your caffeinated sugar milk, and would you please consider this peace offering?’ Do I want to know what happened?” Sam handed over Gabriel's cup. 

 

“I think Dean took my advice. Cassie says a massive potted lilac bush appeared on his doorstep this morning, no note.” 

 

The younger man cracked up. “I told Dean to go with the smaller one! I guess he didn't listen!” The pair laughed over their shared secret.

 

“Thank you for breakfast. I didn't mean to pass out again.” Sam looked rueful.

 

“It's really ok. So, what are your plans for today?” The false casualness in Gabriel's voice was agonizingly obvious, and Sam visibly relaxed.

 

“Well, I was going to bike back to my dorm and get my books. I've got a paper to write. I usually work on them at the Bee, but I was wondering...maybe you'd let me hang out here, instead?” The florist nearly dropped the bud shears he was using.

 

“‘Let you’...? Kiddo, you're always welcome here. I mean it.  _ Mi casa es su casa _ . Seriously. I didn't mean to make you feel like you needed to leave or anything! I'd love it if you stayed here and hung out and chat with me while you write!” Gabriel was rambling now, talking so fast that Sam was having trouble keeping up. His hands shook visibly on the counter. The next thing he knew, Sam was laying half over the counter in order to pull him into a tight hug.

 

“Oh, thank God… I thought I had come across as too needy and clingy.” Sam stroked Gabriel's hair. 

 

Gabriel huffed something akin to a laugh into Sam's chest. “So are we going to talk about our feelings like a pair of teenage girls?” 

 

Sam shuddered. “Hell no. Teenage girls are  _ scary.  _ Grown-ass man discussion?”

 

“Grown-ass man discussion. Look, kiddo. I haven't dated in years. My last serious relationship ended painfully and I swore off trying again. I was utterly content with my bachelorhood and well on my way to being a crazy cat dude in my old age. Then, you decided to come crashing into my life with your floral “Fuck You” and turned everything upside down and shook it like a goddamned snowglobe. And I kinda want to be mad about that, but I'm really, really not. You make me want to give….whatever this is… a real chance.” 

 

Sam smiled and kissed Gabriel's temple. “Wow. Ok… I know I just got out of a shitty relationship and part of me says to brush this off as a rebound, but I know that's a lie. I've known you for three days and I feel like it's been three years. You've got me so wound up in you that I don't think I'm capable of letting go even if I wanted to. So yeah, I think that whatever this is between us, it deserves a chance to see where it's going.”  

 

Both men nearly jumped out of their skin when the doorbell chimed. 

 

“I'm sorry, am I interrupting something? Please, don't stop on my account!” Charlie grinned at them from the doorway. The redhead was sporting a massive grin as she lounged against the frame, hands stuffed in the pocket of her Star Wars hoodie.

 

“Hey, no free shows! You wanna peep, you gotta pay!” Gabriel pecked Sam on the lips before finally leaning back. Charlie trotted over and hopped up to sit on the counter, dropping her laptop bag beside her. 

 

“Hey, Charlie.” Sam smiled shyly at her. The petite woman flashed him a Vulcan salute in response. 

 

“Good morning, boy-o’s! I was actually stopping by to see if you have any flowers my lovely lady might like, when I saw your little tooth-rotting snuggle session and just had to take blackmail pictures.” She winked at Gabriel, who immediately went pink scolded her.

 

“Charlie! Behave! You’re gonna scare my boyfriend off!” The ginger’s eyes bugged out of her head.

 

“Boyfriend? So, y’all are official? Whooo! I’m gonna take an ad out in the paper!” 

 

“Don’t you dare, Charlene Bradbury.” Gabriel’s amber eyes took on a strange, hard quality. “Don’t forget, I have blackmail on you for  _ days.” _

 

Charlie immediately backed off, hands held up in surrender. “Woah, woah!  Take a joke! Boy, for someone named after an Angel, you sure can be demonic looking when you want to be. Gives me chills!” Gabriel smirked.

 

“That’s what I thought. Now, about this ladyfriend of yours. That wouldn’t happen to be that Dorothy girl, would it?” The florist began rummaging around in his coolers in search of something. 

 

“I swear, one Wizard of Oz joke out of you and I’ll knock your teeth in.” Charlie grumbled. Sam watched the whole exchange with a bemused expression.

 

“Wouldn’t dream of it. Here you go.” Gabriel handed over a bunch of bright red flowers with small black centers, framed by what Sam thought might be Baby’s Breath. The Winchester made a mental note to start looking up flower names and meanings on the sly. 

 

“Thanks, Gabe! You’re the best big brother I never wanted!” Charlie tackle-hugged the florist and made a quick exit. The instant she was out the door, Gabriel collapsed into hysterical laughter.

 

“What’s so funny?” Sam felt utterly lost. The florist choked out something completely incoherent, pounding the counter in his mirth. “Say again?”

 

“Po...pop… poppies!” 

 

********

 

Eventually, Sam was forced to head back to his dorm and retrieve his backpack. He had never been more grateful for the fact that the campus was only about ten blocks away, a distance he could cover extremely quickly on his bike. Gabriel kissed him goodbye and he sped off. The florist busied himself with more ready-to-buy arrangements and checked his email for any new orders. 

 

Less than half an hour later, Sam came trotting back in with two bags- his laptop bag and a battered backpack. Gabriel greeted him with an enthusiastic kiss.

 

“I hope it’s not presumptuous… but I brought a change of clothes and a spare toothbrush to leave here.” Sam’s ears were a lovely shade of red as he confessed. Gabriel grinned brightly.

 

“Good idea, kiddo! Here, go run them upstairs and I’ll put your bike in the garden. It’ll be safer back there.” The blonde forked over the key to the stairway outside, taking the opportunity to steal another quick but heated kiss. Sam hummed approvingly and darted off again. Once everything was settled, Sam claimed the stool on his side of the counter and set up his laptop, immediately burying himself in whatever the paper was.

 

“What’s the assignment?” Gabriel asked while he delicately pruned a bonsai. He had only just recently started selling the miniature trees and was enjoying the challenge of coaxing them into his desired shapes. This particular one was a miniature lemon tree, only a foot tall. 

 

“It’s an essay. We had to pick a mistrial and show what went wrong, where the legal system failed.” Sam paused to take a sip of his coffee, obviously considering how to phrase something.

 

“Huh. Which one did you pick?” The florist put down his tools and focused all of his attention on the man he was so smitten with.

 

Sam hummed, holding up a finger while he drank. “The trial of Colin Campbell Ross.” Gabriel made a confused noise. “December 30th, 1921. He was tried, convicted of, and executed for the rape and murder of twelve-year-old Nell Alma Tirtschke based on nothing but hearsay and a few hairs that were the same color as his. 86 years after he was hung, it was proved that he was innocent.” 

 

The blonde sucked in a shocked breath. “Woah. That’s horrible.” Sam nodded and returned to writing.

 

An hour later, Sam sat back with a triumphant sound. Gabriel smiled as he came back in from his greenhouse with an armload of freshly cut roses. “That sounds like a celebratory noise.” He commented.

 

Sam nodded enthusiastically. “I’m done! It would have taken me all weekend to write that in my dorm. Ash and Jake are good guys, but holy fuck are they loud. I can’t focus with them around.”

 

“Well, you’re always welcome to crash with me.” Gabriel’s very poor attempt at subtly inviting Sam to sleep over more often earned him a sunny grin and a sweet kiss.

 

“Thank you, Gabe. You’re amazing.” Gabriel purred under the praise.

 

“I close up shop at noon on Saturdays and I don’t work at all Sunday or Monday. So, I’m all yours for the weekend!” The blonde wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and Sam laughed.

 

“My course load is pretty heavy this year. I’m in class from nine to five Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and eight to two-thirty Tuesday and Thursday. I usually go over to the SPCA after class on Thursdays and on Saturday mornings.” He glanced down at his watch, which read just before eleven AM. “Crap.” 

 

Gabriel nuzzled his new boyfriend(!!!) and kissed his cheek. “How about we both go over after I close up? Or did you want to go on your own?” Sam brightened immediately.

 

“No, you can go with me! I just kinda figured you for a cat person. I met Briar this morning- he was laying on top my head when I woke up.” 

 

“I’m an equal opportunity snuggler.” The florist returned to his plants, quickly sorting the roses into piles by color as Sam watched. Some were all red or pure white, other piles held multi-colored bunches, and one was a stack of roses with an eye-catching burgundy and white swirled pattern. 

 

“Did you grow these?” Sam asked, examining one of the two-tone flowers. 

 

Gabriel’s voice was full of pride when he responded. “Yup! Sure did. Remind me to take you out to the garden and greenhouse. You can see the outside of Cassie’s beehive, too!” Sam smiled. The baker had the strangest hive set up Sam had ever heard of. Instead of traditional wooden hives, the boxes were made of plexiglass and butted right up to one of the windows of the bakery, so guests could see the creatures that produced every drop of honey Castiel used in his creations. Even more interesting was the way that they were designed- there were no drawers, no panels to remove in order to collect the sweet fluid. Instead, there was a lever that would gently separate the man-made combs, allowing the honey to trickle down into a collection jar without squashing the bees or destroying their home. As an added bonus, Castiel didn’t have to stress the bees out by smoking them, either. It was the most clever thing Sam had ever seen.

 

“He really loves those bees, doesn’t he?” Gabriel chuckled.

 

“Yeah, it can get a little much at times. But it makes him happy, and his bees pollinate my flowers. We both win. I’ve threatened multiple times to buy him a “sexy beekeeper” outfit for Halloween.” 

 

Sam cringed the mental image. “Please, no. Knowing him, he would like it so much that he would wear it nonstop.” 

 

*********

 

Noon rolled around and as promised, Gabriel locked up the store and took Sam on a tour of the garden. The younger man marveled at the assortment of blooms that Gabriel cultivated, unable to name more than a small handful. The florist rattled them off with ease, which further cemented Sam’s plan to start studying botany in his spare time. The hothouse held roses, orchids, and dozens of others. Sam did a double take at the massive Venus Fly Trap that seemed to have its very own corner of honor.

 

Gabriel caught his gaze and laughed. “Meet Audrey.” 

 

“Feed me, Seymour.” Sam muttered, chuckling along with Gabriel.

 

“Oh, thank God you got that reference. We need to marathon cult classic movies sometime.” The ease with which Gabriel implied that Sam would be spending enough time at his home to marathon movies startled him, though on further consideration, the florist quite liked the idea. Sam grinned at him.

 

“Only if we start off with Rocky Horror Picture Show. There’s no other way to appropriately have a cult movie binge.” 

 

Gabriel drew Sam down for a kiss. “Kiddo, I’m gonna need you to stop being so damned perfect, I’m feeling a bit inadequate, here.”  

 

Sam snorted. “Just you wait until you see my bad side. I’m a total gym rat and get really bitchy if I don’t get in enough miles every week. Big tests turn me into an absolute pain in the ass. I’ll nag you into eating healthy. I’m a total princess about my hair.” Gabriel pressed a finger to Sam’s lips with a very sad, almost heartbroken expression.

 

“Sam, baby, who told you any of that was a  _ bad _ thing? You take good care of your body and you strive to do well in school. There’s nothing wrong with that.” Sam shook his head.

 

“You’ll see.” He muttered glumly, and Gabriel realized what a number Ruby had done on the poor kid. Gabriel drew him in for a rib-cracking hug. Maybe it was time to break that radio silence with his family.

 

*********

 

The walk to the SPCA brightened Sam’s mood considerably, and by the time they got there he was practically skipping in his enthusiasm. Gabriel was reminded of a very large puppy, maybe a Great Dane. Yup, a chocolate-colored Great Dane puppy in a green plaid button down. He snickered to himself.

 

“Hey, Sam! I was getting worried!” A pretty blonde girl at the front desk greeted the young man.

 

“Hi, Jo! Sorry, I was writing a paper for school. Gabriel, this is Joanna Harvelle. She basically runs this place. Jo, this is my boyfriend, Gabriel.” Gabriel ignored the way his heart jumped at hearing that particular word from Sam for the first time, instead focusing on the disappointed look that flashed across the girl’s face. She quickly recovered and gave him a warm smile.

 

“Nice to meet you, Gabriel!” She shook his hand, and Gabriel got the feeling that she really did mean it. He smiled back.

 

“So, who needs some extra love today?” Sam was already retrieving a leash from the rack by the door.

 

Jo looked sad again. “We got a batch of dogs in last week. They were seized from a hoarder. We’ve cleaned them up and we’re evaluating them for new homes. They’re in decent shape, all considering, but poorly socialized and some of them are awfully timid. Come see.” She led the way down a corridor marked with large, colorful pawprints. Even before she opened the door, Gabriel could hear a cacophony of barking. Rows upon rows of cages lined the room. Sam greeted several dogs by name, receiving enthusiastic wet kisses in response.  

 

“The new gang is back this way.” Jo herded them along the wall to the back corner, which was roped off to keep visitors from approaching.

 

“Until we’re sure that none of them are sick or aggressive, we can’t let anyone but volunteers back here.” The woman explained. Gabriel nodded- it made sense, even if it was a bit heartbreaking. Sam peered into the large pen Most of the dogs approached him, seeming to sense his kind disposition. 

 

“Can I go in?” The long haired man asked softly. Jo unlocked the door for him. Sam approached slowly, holding his hand out for the braver dogs to sniff. Soon, he was sitting on the floor under a mountain of furry bodies and wagging tails. Gabriel watched adoringly. Jo watched Gabriel.

 

“You're crazy about him, aren't you?” She asked softly.

 

“Absolutely out of my mind over him.” Gabriel sighed. 

 

“Please, just… be gentle with him. Ruby was so cruel. It tore me apart to see her verbally beat him down all the time.” 

 

Gabriel growled under his breath. “Don't worry, I'm going to sort that she-demon out.” Jo glanced over at Sam, making sure he was completely enthralled by his new furry friends.

 

“Something tells me you aren't kidding.” 

 

“Not in the slightest.” 

 

The woman smiled darkly. “Good. I won't ask. I know nothing. You and Sam were with me the whole time.” 

 

Gabriel barked a laugh, eyeing Jo with surprise. “There's more to you than just a pretty face, it seems.”

 

Jo chuckled. “And you're more than just a florist, Gabriel Milton.” Both were startled by a soft whine by their feet. Gabriel looked down and was treated to the cutest ball of tan and white fluff he had ever set eyes on. The puppy plaintively pawing at Gabriel's pant leg couldn't have been more than eight weeks old.

 

Jo looked shocked. “Well, I'll be damned. Looks like you have an admirer.” She bent to touch the corgi pup, only to be met with the teensiest growl ever. She immediately moved her hand away.

 

“He was one of the worst parts of the hoarder raid. The rest of his litter didn't survive… we think the ‘owner’ was letting her kid hurt the pups.” Gabriel’s heart shattered into a million pieces as he dropped to his knees by the tiny creature. On further inspection, he was scrawny, malnourished, and his coat was in bad shape. The little dog crawled into Gabriel’s lap.

 

“Wow.” Jo breathed. Gabriel stoked the tiny, trembling puppy. Sam stopped what he was doing to watch his teary-eyed boyfriend cradle his new pal.

 

“Nobody has been able to touch him. They had to sedate him to check him for injuries.” Gabriel sniffled a little bit. 

 

“I'll take him.” 

 

“These guys won't be ready for adoption for another week, but I'll make a note in his file.” Gabriel cuddled the fluffball to his chest, nodding firmly. They stayed curled up together for over an hour while Sam played with the rest of the rescued dogs.

  
  


It broke Sam's heart to eventually pull Gabriel away from the pup, but visiting hours were very specific and he didn't want Jo to get into trouble. Jo finally pacified the florist by moving his pup to its own kennel and lining it with Gabriel’s shirt. Sam rolled his eyes affectionately and gave his boyfriend his flannel to wear home. The sleeves were far too long and hung over his fingers.

 

“I'll be back to see you soon.” Gabriel promised the little creature, who whined and pawed at the bars. 

  
“Come on.” Sam led his sniffling boyfriend outside and tucked him under his arm. They walked like that the whole way back to Gabriel's home. 


	4. Chapter 4

Gabriel visited his puppy every day that week, and Sam found it to be the most adorable thing he had ever seen. His boyfriend was behaving more like a new parent than a dog owner. They visited every pet store in walking distance in search of the ‘perfect’ dog bed. He agonized over collars like a bride over wedding gowns. Over a dozen doggy sweaters and accessories somehow appeared, and the sheer number of toys was mind boggling. When Charlie stopped by with an armload of books on dog training, she ended up getting roped into helping him decide on a brand of dog food. It took them over an hour.

 

Sam had a front row seat to the whole process, since he found himself spending far more time at Gabriel’s than his dorm room. Thanks to the peace and quiet, he had not only caught up on his coursework but jumped ahead. With the constant stress of being almost behind on homework gone, Sam had been able to resume his morning runs before class. He got up at the crack of dawn with Gabriel, greeted Castiel in the garden, and set off on a lap around town. Castiel had taken to meeting him at the door with a coffee in hand when Sam got back, and the Winchester could have kissed him for it.

 

That Wednesday, Sam found both Castiel and Gabriel waiting for him on his return. Gabriel was hiding a shit-eating grin behind a cup of coffee, while the baker looked very confused.

 

“Sam, do you have any idea who would have sent this?” Castiel held up a string of ten origami bees. 

 

Sam quickly affected an air of innocence. “No clue. They're awfully cute, though.” Gabriel giggled.

 

“They are extremely well made. This is a difficult fold, and someone put a lot of effort into creating them. I would like to thank whoever took the time to make them.” Castiel was examining them closely,  his expression intent.

 

“Looks like you've got a secret admirer, Cas.” Sam grinned, imagining his big brother trying to fold the delicate origami paper with his heavily calloused mechanic's hands. Oh, that mental image was g98ng to have him laughing for ages!

 

“Come on, kiddo. Time to get you cleaned up before school.” Gabriel herded his boyfriend towards the stairs.

 

“Yes, sir!” Sam stuck his tongue out. 

 

“Keep sassing me, and I won't suck you off in the shower.” The shorter man growled, and Sam scampered up the stairs.

 

The promised post-run blowjob solidified Sam's fantastic mood for the day. Gabriel had an oral fixation that would have made even Freud raise an eyebrow, and he had absolutely no shame in abusing it. Sam leaned back against the cool tile and let his boyfriend go to town on his cock. Gabriel particularly seemed to enjoy lavishing little kitten licks over the head until Sam squirmed from overstimulation, then swallowing him to the root in one quick motion. It never failed to make Sam's knees buckle. 

 

Gabriel chuckled around his mouthful and bobbed up and down, keeping tight suction the whole way. One hand came up to cradle Sam's balls, while the other fisted his own cock. That was another thing that Sam adored about his boyfriend- he genuinely got off on pleasuring Sam. 

 

“Oh, fuck… just like that, baby. God, you're so good.” Sam whispered a steady stream of praise around low moans. He was unable to resist the urge to buck slightly into that incredible heat, and Gabriel groaned approvingly.

 

“Shit!” Sam snarled, his hips snapping with more force, and Gabriel whined high in his throat before relaxing his jaw. He patted Sam's hip, encouraging him to fuck his mouth. Sam gave a mewling cry and obeyed, his hips pumping once, twice, three times before he spilled down Gabriel's throat with a choked curse. Gabriel swallowed everything Sam had to offer, milking him until he was sure he had it all. The smaller man groaned and shot all over his fist a moment later. Sam hauled him up for a wet, salty kiss just as Gabriel's watch chirped at him.

 

“7:45. Perfect timing, sweetheart.” Gabriel winked and hopped out of the shower to dry off and go open the flower shop. Sam groaned and finished washing his hair.

 

Gabriel saw Sam off to class with a blistering kiss and a slap on the ass. “See you later, babe!” The younger man yelled as he peddled off. Gabriel hummed contentedly and went back to browsing Amazon for even more dog supplies while he worked. It was a peaceful morning with few customers, although Castiel came over for a little while to collect his table decorations and attempt to pry information about his mysterious suitor out of the florist. Gabriel just laughed and winked at him.

 

“You are infuriating.” Castiel waved a rose threateningly.

 

“I'm your best friend. That's kinda part of the job description.” Gabriel rescued the bloom and set it into the arrangement he was working on. 

 

Castiel scoffed. “I need better friends, then.” The baker forked over one of Gabriel's favorite muffins and returned to his own domain. Just as he walked out, another man walked in.

 

Gabriel eyed the new customer. He was tall, stocky, with bright green eyes and dirty blond hair spiked all over the place. The man was covered in grease and dirt, especially on his hands.  _ A mechanic of some sort, _ Gabriel thought. He as the stranger approached the counter, the florist noted a distinct lack of a wedding band, or even the mark left behind by one. His ears were glowing pink as he glanced around the shop.  _ Probably has a new girlfriend. _ He concluded.

 

“Um… hi. Sam says I owe you a ‘thank you’.” The pieces slid into place quickly, and Gabriel grinned.

 

“Hello to you too, Dean-o!” Dean started, obviously not expecting the florist to know his name. “How goes courting my precious little Castiel? Found your balls, yet? Or are you going to keep going with the ‘secret admirer’ trope?”

 

Dean winced. “I'm working on that. So, I'm told you're dating my baby brother.” 

 

Gabriel arched an eyebrow. “Yup.” He popped the p just to irk the mechanic. Dean glared.

 

“You hurt him, I'll end you.” 

 

That got a laugh out of the florist. He grinned, flashing pearly white teeth. “Likewise, Dean-o. Now, are we done with the dick measuring contest?”

 

Dean snorted. “We’re done.” 

 

“Good!” Gabriel dusted his hands off. “ So, about the destruction of a mutually despised bitch in heels.” 

 

***** 

 

“Hi, honey! I'm home!” Sam called cheerfully as he bounded into the shop. Gabriel laughed brightly.

 

“You're back early!” He kissed Sam's cheek before returning to the wedding order he was sketching out for a customer. 

 

Sam shrugged. “Last professor of the day called out. Apparently his wife went into labor and he's panicking.” 

 

“Oof. I wouldn't want to be him right now. I don't want much to do with kids until they don't need diapers.”

 

“Gabriel, you do realize that you've been nesting over a _puppy_ , right?” The florist scoffed and twirled his pencil as he contemplated the placement of a particular flower type.

 

“I've done no such thing.” Sam rolled his eyes and pointed at the large stack of boxes marked Amazon Prime that were stashed behind the counter.

 

“Uh huh. And what's all that? Because I know for a fact that you don't order flowers off of Amazon.” 

 

Gabriel turned bright pink. “Errr….” 

 

“Yeah. That's what I thought.” Sam chuckled and hopped up on the counter so he could kiss his boyfriend on the nose. “It's adorable, babe. Have you thought of a name yet?” 

 

“I was kind of thinking Bowie. He's got that crooked blaze on his muzzle, kinda looks like a lightning bolt?”

 

Sam cackled. “Oh, that's  _ perfect!”  _

 

“Oh by the way, Dean stopped by.” The offhand comment made Sam freeze.

 

“....And how did that go?” The law student schooled his face into a calm mask, though the way he was fiddling with a scrap of paper completely killed it.

 

Gabriel grinned. “Oh, calm down. Neither of us is going to murder the other. He wanted more tips on how to woo Cassie. I told him to dig his balls out of his chest cavity and just ask him out.” 

 

Sam snickered. “I've been telling him that for years. So, the Roadhouse for dinner? Or do you want to order a pizza and watch Labyrinth?”

 

“About that. I actually already had plans for dinner. I don't think I've mentioned it before but I cook a mean steak. So I was thinking… steak, grilled asparagus, salad?” Sam's mouth immediately began watering.

 

“That sounds fantastic! Need me to go get anything?” The shop wouldn't close for another hour, and Sam had somehow escaped with no homework other than a chapter to read.

 

“Actually, I've got basically everything here. You could go raid Castiel’s garden for some fresh tomatoes, though.” Obediently, Sam hopped off the countertop trotted out the back door. 

 

***** 

 

Dinner was every bit as good as Gabriel had promised, and Sam had damned near licked the plate after polishing off his food.

 

“Ugh… so full! I can feel the food coma coming already.” Sam mumbled as he flopped backwards onto Gabriel's sofa.

 

“Too full for homemade chocolate chip cookies?” The blonde wafted one under Sam's nose. 

 

“Gimme!” Sam seized the cookie and took a huge bite of the still warm, gooey treat.

 

“Oh my god, I love you.” Both men froze. “Shit. I totally didn't mean to say that over cookies…”

 

Gabriel's smile slowly grew to blinding proportions. “Say it again.”

 

“I love you.” 

 

The older man crawled into Sam's lap, straddling his hips. “Again?”

 

“I love you, Gabriel Milton.” Sam breathed against his boyfriend’s lips. Gabriel closed the hairsbreadth gap and claimed Sam's mouth, kissing him until they were both breathing raggedly. He rested his forehead against Sam’s.

 

“I love you too, Sam.” The pair crashed together again, trading kisses and soft, exploratory touches as they ground against each other.

 

“God _ damn _ I need to be inside you.” Sam growled between kisses. Gabriel gave a high pitched whine in response and bent over almost completely backwards to fish around under the couch. He triumphantly presented Sam with his prize.

 

“Gabe, baby… why do you keep lube under your sofa?”

 

“I was a Boy Scout, ok?!”

 

Sam cracked up, shaking with mirth until Gabriel threatened to get up and go jerk off alone. “Oh, come here. You're to damned precious for this world, you know that? God, I love you so much.” Sam tightened his arms around his boyfriend and kissed him sweetly. Gabriel relented and let Sam peel his shirt off. Sam's shirt quickly followed, then two pairs of jeans joined the heap of discarded cloth. Gabriel had opted for commando that morning and Sam was happy to take full advantage by lubing one thick finger and carefully teasing at Gabriel's rim. The blonde jerked and moaned when Sam penetrated him for the first time. 

 

“Hell yeah….” Gabriel gritted out, already trying to press further down on Sam's thick digit. Encouraged, Sam withdrew his hand, added more lube, and pressed in again with two fingers. Gabriel ground down on the prominent erection tenting Sam's boxers.

 

“Fuck, baby… you're so damned tight.” Sam twisted his hand, trying to coax Gabriel's body into opening up more.

 

Gabriel nodded in agreement. “It's...ah!...been a while. Probably going to have to go up to at least three to take that monster of your.” Sam snorted.

 

“It's not  _ that  _ big.” But honestly, he was concerned about Gabriel's ability to take him comfortably. His boyfriend was nothing if not stubborn and would probably refuse to tap out even if pain outweighed pleasure. With that in mind, Sam added even more slick and started trying for his ring finger. Gabriel whimpered and Sam immediately went back to two. He crooked his fingers in a ‘come hither’ motion, seeking out and quickly finding Gabriel's prostate. He massaged the little bundle of nerves, reveling in the lovely mewling whimpers he could coax from Gabriel's throat. 

 

When the smaller man started fucking himself down onto Sam's fingers, he tried for a third finger again. This time his passage took the intrusion eagerly and Gabriel groaned in satisfaction.

 

“Come on, Samshine… stop teasing and let me have It!” Gabriel wheedled. Sam immediately relented, withdrawing and slicking his painfully hard length with what was probably an excessive amount of lube. Gabriel settled himself more comfortably and helped guide his boyfriend's cockhead into position. His free hand tangled into Sam's chestnut locks and their foreheads touched in a familiar gesture of comfort. Slowly, agonizingly slowly, Gabriel sank down on the other man's length. Try as he might, he couldn't bite back a whimper as he was split open. Gabriel took several sharp breaths through clenched teeth.

 

“Gabe… baby, stop. You're hurting yourself!” Sam tried to push his lover away.

 

“No! I can do this!” the blonde drew in a steadying breath and relaxed against Sam's broad chest, letting all of his muscles go lax. Just the act of consciously relaxing his body earned him another inch of penetration. Little by little, Gabriel coaxed his recalcitrant body into accepting Sam's cock. 

 

“Fuuuuuuuck…” Gabriel hissed when Sam finally bottomed out. Sam's hands caressed up and down Gabriel's shaking flanks, trying to soothe him.

 

“God, baby. You're so amazing. I love you so much.” Sam pressed a kiss to Gabriel's sweaty temple. A soft mewl, then Gabriel started rolling his hips in a slow circle. The left curve to Sam's shaft caused it to grind against the other man's sweet spot. Every slow pass over that button earned another desperate whimper and a clench of Gabriel's already too-tight walls, and an echoing breathy moan from Sam. They rocked together, pressed so tightly together that they might as well have been one person. 

 

Gabriel could feel the heat building in his gut, a slow moving tsunami that threatened to shatter him into a million pieces. But he wasn't afraid -Sam's strong arms anchored him, his soft voice in Gabriel's ear centered him. With one hand in the florist’s hair and the other gripping his right hip, Sam became the focal point around which Gabriel's whole universe revolved. His orgasm took him completely by surprise and Gabriel surrendered to it with a sob, his mind dissolving into white noise and one single word- “Sam….” 

 

Sam captured his lover’s lips and followed him right over the edge. He came with a low cry torn from his gut, flooding Gabriel's body with his seed. Gabriel went boneless, collapsing on Sam as all his strength left him at once. As the younger man recovered, he cleaned his chest off as best he could with the edge of a blanket. He chuckled breathlessly- Gabriel's release had splashed as high as his sternum. Satisfied for the moment, he delicately shifted until he could stretch out on his back, bringing his comatose love with him to lay sprawled on Sam's chest. The motion separated them and Sam spared a moment to be grateful that the worn couch wasn't leather before unconsciousness claimed him.

 


	5. Chapter 5

At some point that night Sam must have scooped Gabriel up and carried him to bed, because the florist woke up in his own bed rather than the couch. Sam was passed out beside him with his hand resting over Gabriel’s heart. The blonde man smiled softly and extricated himself carefully. He retrieved his house coat and a pair of boxers, snagged his phone, and crept out of the room. 

 

Gabriel’s hands shook a little as he typed a number from memory. It rang twice, then a familiar voice answered.

 

_ “Who the bloody hell is this, and how did you get this number?” _

 

Gabriel grinned. “Uncle Crowley, it’s Gabriel.” There was a sharp intake of breath.

 

_ “Hello, boy. Heard you ran out on the family business. What do you want after all these years?” _

 

“I need a favor.” Gabriel toyed with the tie of his robe.

 

_ “And why on Earth would I do you a favor? You left, remember?” _

 

“Because I’m your favorite, and this concerns the man I love, and the she-demon that abused him.” There was a long pause.

 

_ “....I’m listening.” _

 

_ ********** _

 

Sam was stirring when Gabriel returned to bed, feeling both vindictive and a little guilty about lying to the man he adored so much. He had promised to let it go.... One glance at the fading bruise still decorating Sam’s eye put an end to that train of thought. That wench had physically and emotionally abused his love. She had to pay. Gabriel kissed Sam’s cheek. 

 

“Hey, babe. If you wanna go for your run, you’d better get up soon.” 

 

Sam groaned and pulled the blanket all the way over his head. Gabriel laughed and slithered under the blanket so he could pepper more kisses all over Sam’s cheeks and try to tickle him. The younger man flailed, thrashing until he fell off the bed in his attempt to escape. 

 

“Ouch!” Sam scowled and rubbed his rear end. Gabriel immediately pounced.

 

“Awww, my poor baby! Here, let me make your booboo all better!” He planted a kiss firmly on Sam's left butt cheek. Sam snorted.

 

“You're such a kiss-ass. I'm up, I'm up!” He snagged his running clothes and sneakers, pausing only to brush his teeth and have a drink of water. 

 

“Love you, baby!” Sam laced his sneakers and darted down the stairs, waving good morning to Castiel as he passed. 

 

The quiet baker smiled softly. “He is good for you.” He commented to Gabriel, who was staring after Sam. Gabriel accepted the cup of coffee that his friend offered, humming in agreement.

 

“I'm going to ask him to move in with me.”

 

Castiel arched an eyebrow. “This early? You have only been seeing him for a week. Why so soon?” The florist laughed- Cassie was always his voice of reason. The angel on his shoulder, as it were.

 

“He's been staying here every night anyways. I'm within striking distance of campus. My place is quieter, so he gets more school work done quicker. His favorite coffee shop is literally right next door. My water pressure is amazeballs. I give stellar head. Take your pick.” 

 

The baker chuckled softly and slung an arm around Gabriel’s shoulders in a rare gesture of affection. “You are ridiculously in love, my friend.”

 

“Speaking of love, anything new from your secret admirer?” Gabriel schooled his features into a look of perfect innocence. Castiel was obviously not impressed.

 

“As a matter of fact, yes. Yesterday evening, a package arrived with a book on medicinal herbal teas. There's a lovely section on using honey as a carrier for the herbal remedies. No return address. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?” Gabriel mimed zipping his lips shut. “I thought not. Well, whoever it is, they have been giving me very thoughtful gifts and I wish I could express my gratitude.”

 

Gabriel was silent for several moments. “Would you like a hint?”

 

“You know the answer to that.” Castiel began rather aggressively weeding his tomato plants.

 

“He's someone you see in the shop frequently.” A clod of dirt smacked Gabriel in the back of the head.

 

“Do you have  _ any _ idea how many frequent customers I have?!” The baker readied another missile and Gabriel ducked behind a rose bush.

 

“Take a joke, Cassie! Watch for someone who has the sort of green eyes they write about in the trashy romance novels you swear you don't read!”

 

Castiel pouted. “They are not  _ trashy!” _

 

“And I'm Loki, son of Odin.” Gabriel snarled back. 

 

“Technically, Loki was not Odin’s son, he was a…” Gabriel cut him off with a lobbed gardening glove.

 

“Yeah I know, I know! God, do you ruin jokes professionally or something?” The blond sprinted for the relative safety of his own building, just ahead of an airborne ball of weeds. “Love you too, Cas!”

 

********

 

Sam came trotting back into the store, sweat soaked and grinning. Gabriel immediately hauled him down for a blistering kiss.

 

“Hello, handsome!” The older man chirped. 

 

Sam shook his head. “Hello, crazy. I'm gonna go shower and do some last minute studying. I've got a criminal psychology test today.” Gabriel pushed him towards the stairs. 

 

“You're gonna do fine, Sasquatch.” When Sam came back a few minutes later smelling like Gabriel's body wash, the florist couldn't suppress a surge of possessiveness. He pulled Sam in for a tight hug, breathing deeply. 

 

“Love you, Sammykins.” 

 

Sam kissed the top of his head. “Love you too, angel.” When his growling stomach broke the mood, Sam fetched a couple of blueberry scones from the Bee, eating with his nose stuffed in a textbook. Gabriel watched for a few minutes, noting how uncomfortable that stool looked for his oversized boyfriend. He immediately pulled up the web page for a local furniture dealer and started perusing options for a small desk and a nice office chair. Perhaps a comfortable setup would help entice Sam to move in. Gabriel was not above blatant bribery, after all. 

 

At 7:20, Sam's watch chirped and the young man immediately started packing up. He slung his bag across his shoulder, kissed his boyfriend goodbye, and made for the door.

 

“Hey, Sam! Wait a second!” Sam paused in the act of unlocking his bicycle, and Gabriel tucked something into his chest pocket with a firm pat. “For luck.” Gabriel made a shooing motion and returned to his store. A few minutes passed before his phone dinged.

 

_ S: A four leaf clover?  _

 

_ G: See, you'll ace that test for sure now! _

 

_ S: <3 <3 <3 you're the best, baby. _

 

_ G: kick ass so we can have a celebratory fuck later. _

 

_ S: and if I do badly? _

 

_ G: nothing cheers a man up like a good screw! _

 

_ S: perv ;) _

 

_ G: yeah but I'm  _ your _ perv _

 

Gabriel set his phone down with a soft laugh and got to work.

 

******

 

“Perfect score!” Sam burst into the shop, waving a piece of paper with a very prominent “100%” scrawled in red ink across the top. Gabriel whooped.

 

“See? I told you! My big bad lawyer boyfriend is gonna rule the world one day!” Sam flushed bright pink.

 

“I don't know about all that. I've still got to pass the bar exam before we can think about world domination.” The younger man joked to cover his embarrassment at his boyfriend's enthusiastic praise.

“Got any homework?” Gabriel asked as innocently as possible, and Sam immediately sagged.

 

“A metric assload.” Gabriel spun the younger man around to face the corner by the window. Gone was the small table that had held a pile of stuffed animals and chocolate boxes, and in its place was a sturdy desk with a lamp and an extremely high quality office chair specifically designed for extremely tall people. Scattered on it were office supplies- a mug full of pens, a stapler, a filing tray, and a small mug warming plate. 

 

“Gabriel… what on earth? You didn't have to do that!” The florist grinned and silenced him with a kiss.

 

“Yes, I did. That stupid stool looked so uncomfortable. I'm so damned proud of you, getting into Stanford on a full scholarship. I'd hate to see it go to waste because you can't study in comfort.”

 

Sam rubbed the back of his neck, a sure sign that he was embarrassed. “I'm not going to flunk out because of a rickety stool.” 

 

“Probably not,” Gabriel agreed, “But why take that chance?” Sam scoffed.

 

“You're ridiculous, baby.” But he went over to investigate his new study nook. He sank into the chair with a blissful sigh and started setting up his laptop and books. Gabriel kissed the top of his head on the way by.

 

“Love you too, my Samshine.”

 

*********

 

Late that evening, Gabriel decided to ‘pop the question’, as it were. The pair were hanging out on the couch, eating pizza (Sam had insisted on getting some veggies on it, rather than just Gabriel’s usual triple stacked meat lovers) and marathoning Mel Brooks movies. Sam was happily mouthing lines along with Robin Hood when Gabriel just spit it out.

 

“Move in with me.” Gabriel blurted. 

 

Sam’s head snapped over so fast that he probably sprained something. The younger man stared at him, mouth hanging open. “Gabe…?” 

 

“You already practically live here anyways. When was the last time you went back to your dorm for anything other than supplies or a change of clothes? I’m right next door to your favorite supply of caffeine. It takes you like ten minutes to bike to your classes. You get more studying done here, and it’s obviously more effective because you’re coming home with perfect scores on tests. Briar adores you. My water pressure rocks, and my shower is big enough for both of us comfortably. And I…” 

 

Sam cut him off with a heated kiss that quickly spiraled out of control until the younger man was half sitting in Gabriel’s lap, pawing at his clothes. “Fuck yes, I’ll move in! Getting to wake up to my beautiful boyfriend’s face every single morning? Sign me the fuck up!” 

 

Gabriel grinned against Sam’s lips and rutted up against him, letting his growing hard on drag against the answering bulge in Sam’s jeans.  “I love you so much.” The florist hissed just as Sam ground down on him. 

 

“Ditto.” Sam giggled as he started working Gabriel’s belt open.

 

“You did not just Swayzee me.” Gabriel buried his face against Sam’s shoulder, shaking with mirth. Sam gave him an unrepentant smirk and rolled his hips. Watching Sam undulate above him made Gabriel think about how goddamned sexy his boyfriend would look on a pole. The mental image was so arousing that he felt a blurt of precum wet his boxers. He tapped Sam’s hip gently.

 

“Hop up, Moose.” Sam shot him a confused look but did as he was told. Gabriel stood up and positioned Sam where he had been sitting just a moment ago. The blonde dug his phone out of his pocket and started searching for a song. He ended up settling on a female vocalist’s cover of ‘Take me to Church” and hit play. Sam’s puzzled look deepened for a moment before Gabriel started to sway to the beat. The florist was out of practice and hadn’t done any stretching in far too long but Sam obviously didn’t seem to mind, his expression morphing from confusion to lust as realization dawned on him. Gabriel danced slowly, working his shirt off over his head in teasingly slow increments. His belt went next, getting whipped through the loops so fast that the worn leather popped. Sam groaned and palmed himself through his jeans. 

 

Gabriel winked at him and popped the button on his fly, easing the zipper down but not revealing any skin. Instead he turned his back and shimmied his hips, knowing that Sam was fifteen kinds of hot for Gabriel’s plump ass. The answering groan from the couch confirmed that. He bent over, legs still perfectly straight as he touched his toes, putting said ass on display, before arching his back and straightening up again. The motion caused his loosened jeans to slide down a bit, revealing black silk boxers.  _ Fuck, I’m glad I wore good boxers today _ , Gabriel thought as he danced. Old, faded cotton briefs would probably have ruined the vibe. He glanced over his shoulder at Sam, biting his lip. The younger man was all but drooling over the strip tease his boyfriend was putting on for him. 

 

“Fuck, baby…” Sam growled, low and heated. Gabriel smirked and dropped to the floor, laying on his stomach with his ass in the air. He rolled over and arched his hips up, working the jeans down further until they were around his thighs. He pumped his hips a few times, letting the black silk accentuate the bulge he was sporting, before sliding them completely off and kicking them away. There was a soft moan from the couch as Gabriel supported his weight on one hand, the other dragging down his chest and further to cup his leaking cock. When he stole another glance at Sam, he realized that the young man had ditched his shirt and was working his hand down his pants. With a wicked grin, he decided to try one of his favorite tricks. His ass came back down to the floor and his legs went straight up, giving Sam a lovely view, before arching up and rolling backwards in a slow, controlled flip. He winced when a muscle twinged, but completed the roll anyways. 

 

The song faded out and Turn Down for What queued up- another of Gabriel’s favorite songs to dance to. He dropped down into what resembled doggy style, ass up and chest down, flipping his unruly hair as he writhed. Sam moaned into his fist and got up, shoving his jeans and boxers down in a desperate rush as he scrambled to approach his boyfriend.

 

“You are so...so...so goddamned sexy.” Sam gritted out as he grabbed Gabriel’s wrist and hauled him to his feet, immediately clasping his boyfriend to his chest. Their cocks ground together and they both moaned at the contact. Sam’s hands found Gabriel’s hips and he rocked into the other man, half dancing, half just searching for friction on his aching length. Gabriel smirked up at him and took control, guiding Sam into dirty dancing with him. But soon, Sam snarled deep in his chest and spun his boyfriend around. He rutted his cock right up against the cleft of Gabriel’s ass, his massive palms finding Gabriel’s pelvis. His nails raked up the tender skin there and the older man swore. He ground his ass in a circle, mimicking a lap dance, and felt Sam’s teeth sink into the meet of his shoulder. Gabriel hissed and stumbled forward, catching himself against the wall with one hand.

 

“Oh, fuck yes…” Sam snarled. He brought Gabriel’s other hand up to the first and locked them into place with one broad palm. The other hand came up to Gabriel’s mouth and two fingers pressed insistently on his bottom lip. “Suck, angel....” Gabriel obeyed, taking the offered digits and working them as if they were Sam’s cock. The taller man groaned as the other man deepthroated his fingers. 

 

“That’s it, baby. Get ‘em good and wet for me…” Sam hissed. For a moment Gabriel was concerned that Sam might, in this lust filled haze, try to fuck him with nothing but spit for lube. That might work for someone less endowed than his boyfriend, but Sam was packing serious heat. But he needn’t have worried- Sam brought his spit slick fingers down not to Gabriel’s pucker but to his thick thighs, wetting the space between them. Gabriel moaned, arching his back in clear invitation. Sam spat into his palm and worked the moisture into his shaft before teasing it between Gabriel’s legs. He thrust experimentally, and approved of the sensation if the full-body shudder Gabriel felt was anything to go by. The hand not pinning the florist’s wrists came around to cup Gabriel’s shaft. 

 

Gabriel sighed happily and rutted back against his boyfriend.  _ Fuck yes, this would work nicely.  _ Sam thrust between his thighs again, which drove Gabriel’s cock through the tunnel of Sam’s fingers.  _ Very nicely, indeed. _ Distantly, Gabriel heard the song ‘Pony’ start up and he giggled breathlessly. 

 

Sam seemed beyond words as he fucked against the other man. His teeth worried a deep bruise into the arch of Gabriel’s neck as he thrust mindlessly. Gabriel happily rolled his head to the side to give him even more reason to bite and suckle. He could already feel Sam’s thrusts turning choppy and jagged. With a truly wicked grin, Gabriel crossed his ankles. 

 

“Fucking son of a bitch!” Sam cried out as the pressure on his shaft increased. He moaned loudly, his voice climbing until it broke and he came with a shuddering sob, streaks of hot cum painting the insides of Gabriel’s thighs in a beautifully filthy mark of ownership. Sam’s knees gave out and he collapsed to the floor, resting his forehead against Gabriel’s right thigh. The older man groaned in frustration- he had been so close!- and reached down to finish himself off.

 

“No.” Sam slapped his hand away and worked himself between Gabriel and the wall. Gabriel barely had time to register what was happening before Sam swallowed him to the root. The blonde gave a shout and rocked forward into that amazing heat. Sam didn’t have to spend long bobbing happily on his boyfriend’s cock before Gabriel was coming down his throat with a gutpunched moan. He joined Sam on the floor, curling up in his lap as they both fought to calm down. 

 

“I think I’m going to install a pole.” Sam muttered between desperate lungfuls. Gabriel snorted. 

 

“I think I need to start stretching again. I’m too old for impromptu shows any more.”

 

*******

 

Dean showed up at the shop while Sam was at school the next day. “I’m going to ask him out.” He blurted out in the florist’s general direction. Gabriel glanced up and winced- Dean looked like hell. His clothes were rumpled, his hair stood on end like he had been running his hands through it repeatedly. His eyes were wild. Gabriel immediately reached for the flask of Jameson he kept under the counter.

 

“Here.” He offered the whiskey to Dean, who took a large swig. 

 

“Thanks.” Dean seemed to steady himself. He leaned against the counter, watching silently as Gabriel tweaked some orchids in a vase. Long moments went by.

 

“So, I got in touch with someone from my family who might be able to help us.” Gabriel’s tone was conversational, though his eyes were hard. 

 

Dean cocked an eyebrow. “What’s your family got to do with this?” Gabriel stopped what he was doing and stared in disbelief. 

 

“Seriously? You never put two and two together? Gabriel MILTON?” Dean choked on his own spit.

 

“Wait, _those_ Miltons? The ones that were supposedly in with Al Capone and the rest?” The mechanic was now openly boggling at the small, unassuming florist with blazing amber eyes.

 

Gabriel snorted. “Nothing ‘supposedly’ about it. My family made a fortune, literally, working the underground.” Dean stared at him as if seeing him for the first time.

 

“So, why’d you leave?” 

 

There was a huff, equal parts exasperation and bone-deep sadness. “Because I couldn’t stand to see my brothers rip each other apart over who got Daddy’s stuff when he died. So, I cut and ran one night. Never looked back. I haven’t heard from any of them since I was seventeen. But when I called him, my favorite uncle said he would be all too happy to help us take care of the bitch.” 

 

Dean was silent for a while, obviously turning over this new information and reevaluating his opinion of Gabriel. “Why would he help us?”

 

“Because Uncle Crowley was forced to watch as a bunch of homophobes beat his lover to death in the streets of Chicago in 1974.” Dean looked like he might vomit on the spot. “So you can imagine why he has a soft spot for his bisexual nephew. And by extension, that nephew’s boyfriend.” 

 

Dean leaned back and sighed heavily. “Fuck. My little brother is under Mafia protection.” He sounded stunned, even a bit disbelieving. Gabriel snorted.

 

“I wouldn’t go  _ that _ far, Dean-o. The Miltons went clean sometime in the ‘90s. But we still have some very powerful friends. Powerful friends with a vendetta against people like Ruby.”

 

The elder Winchester gave the other man a wolfish smile. “Fantastic.” 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a bad day. Here, have some fluff I wrote to cheer myself up. Utterly angst-free chapter, yay!

The night before Bowie was to come home, Sam started plotting. Well, ‘plotting’ might be too good of a name for it- it was more like a good natured prank idea that suddenly bit him in the ass and refused to let go once it had its teeth into him. He innocently suggested that they go to the Roadhouse for dinner and Gabriel wasn't about to turn down a meal at his favorite restaurant, so off they went. The instant the florist headed for the bathroom, Sam pounced.

 

“Hey, Charlie! I need your help with something!” The redhead immediately dropped what she was doing -organizing bar glasses- and all but left a trail of smoke in her eagerness to get to Sam.

 

“What's the sitch, sweetheart?” 

 

“We’re bringing Bowie home tomorrow afternoon,” there was a pleased squeal and clapping, “And I want to put together a bit of a celebration for Gabe.” A glance up told Sam that Gabriel was already on his way back. 

 

“Here's my phone number, text me after you leave and we’ll get all the details sorted.” Charlie scribbled her number on a napkin and shoved it at Sam who quickly stuffed it into his pocket.

 

******

 

5:45am  _ C: Rise and shine, Sam! Operation Puppy Party is a go! _

 

_ S: I've been up for almost an hour, woman. I just got back from my morning run. _

 

_ C: Ugh. Morning glory. Disgusting. _

 

_ S: Nothing wrong with being a morning person. You should try it. Gonna go have hot morning sex my boyfriend now. _

 

_ C: ewwwwww!!!!!!! Gross!!!! I'm sending you the bill for my therapy!! _

 

_ S: Love you too, Char. _

 

Sam dropped his phone on the night stand and crawled under the covers until he could ease his way between Gabriel's thighs. The florist was still sleeping, his cock soft against his thigh. Sam smirked- that would change soon. He took the warm flesh in his mouth and teased the head carefully with the tip of his tongue. Gabriel sighed in his sleep and shifted a little. Sam grinned around the other man's slowly chubbing cock, suckling tenderly. It didn't take long for Gabriel to start shifting restlessly, his body mindlessly searching for more of the wet heat of Sam's mouth even though his brain wasn't online yet. The first gentle thrust of the florists hips was met with a pleased hum from Sam. 

 

Gabriel suddenly gasped, his eyes flying open. “Oh, fuck… Sam….” he slurred as he clumsily tangled his fingers into Sam's hair. Sam purred around his mouthful. Gabriel's cock jerked in response, a blurt of bitter precum seeping out onto his waiting tongue. The younger man began teasing at his boyfriend's hole, smirking when he felt the remnants of lube and cum from their romp the previous night. Gabriel groaned and let his legs fall completely open, wordlessly inviting Sam in- and who was he to refuse such a beautiful request? Sam fumbled for the bottle of slick and added more to Gabriel's half-loose passage. He worked quickly but carefully, testing the stretch with three fingers and the tip of his pinky before he was satisfied. 

 

“Hurry up…” Gabriel grumbled, his voice sleep-hoarse. Sam chuckled and slicked his cock, easing into the other man's warm, lax body. He leaned in for a kiss and the pair made out languidly. Gabriel was still only half conscious as Sam rocked into him, but that didn't matter.

 

“Hmmm… love you, Samshine.” The blonde murmured. Sam kissed his forehead and tucked his hands under Gabriel's back, drawing him even closer. 

 

“Love you, G’briel.” Sam smiled as he stroked in and out of his semiconscious lover. Each lazy roll of his hips dragged his cockhead against Gabriel's sweet spot, earning a bleary but pleased groan. Sam buried his face against Gabriel's neck, breathing his scent and nipping at his sleep-warm skin.

 

“God, baby… you're just so perfect. Love you so much. Wanna lose myself in you and never come back…” Sam murmured in between kisses. Gabriel huffed a breathless chuckle.

 

“You get awful sappy first thing in the morning, babe.” The florist sighed with a soft grin. Moments later, he groaned and shuddered when a sleepy orgasm washed over him. Sam made a soft whining noise as the fluttering of his lover's walls drew him over the edge almost in tandem. The older man drew Sam down to sprawl over his chest, seemingly uncaring of the weight. They lay like that for long minutes, still intimately connected, until Sam finally went soft and slid out. 

 

“You know you love it when I get all sappy.” Sam chuckled to Gabriel's collarbone.

 

Gabriel hummed. “Never said I didn't. Gah. I don't wanna work today. Wanna stay in bed with you.” 

 

“Well unfortunately I've got some errands to run before we pick up Bowie.” Sam burst out laughing when Gabriel shoved him away and leapt to his feet, grinning from ear to ear.

 

“Hell yeah!” The florist darted off towards the shower, leaving his boyfriend staring after in amusement. 

 

******

With Gabriel busily putting together rose bouquets, Sam was free to go meet up with Charlie for last minute party preparations. They had invited Dean and Castiel as well, filling them in on the planned joke. The giggling pair raided the local party supply store for an absolute ton of blue streamers, balloons, confetti, and even a huge banner that proclaimed “Its a boy!” before picking up the usual party snack food and drinks. Charlie kept it all in the trunk of her car, ready to leap into action and decorate the florist’s apartment the moment Sam and Gabriel were out of sight.

 

Castiel winked at them as they passed his shop, holding up his spare key to Gabriel's apartment and shaking it with a small smirk. The baker had made one of Gabriel's favorite “death by chocolate” cakes that morning, icing it with dozens of little blue puppy pawprints. 

 

“Oh my god this is going to be so funny! I've been waiting to get him back for that poppy incident.” The redhead chuckled as she hugged Sam goodbye. 

 

Sam snorted. “I'll text you right before we leave the SPCA, ok? It'll probably take us longer to get home than usual.” 

 

“We'll be ready!” 

 

*********

 

Sam had never seen his boyfriend shut the shop down faster. The second the clock ticked over to noon, the sign was changed to “closed” and the cash drawer was thrown in the office so fast that the younger man thought Gabriel might have teleported. He wasn't even sure if it had made it into the safe, to be honest. Gabriel all but dragged Sam out of the shop by his shirt, a small blue harness and matching leash clutched triumphantly in his hand as he scrambled to lock the door. Out of the corner of his eye, Sam caught a flash of red hair. A tan trench coat lurked in the doorway of the Bee. The Winchester shot them both a thumbs up as he was herded down the sidewalk. 

 

“Ya know, you can move fast for a short shit!” Sam chuckled as his boyfriend almost jogged in his enthusiasm. 

 

Gabriel stuck his tongue out. “You hush, unless you want me to use you for a sled dog.” They made it in record time and were greeted by a broadly grinning Jo. 

 

“Boy, you would think you were adopting a baby, not a puppy!” The woman teased as she handed over a clipboard with a stack of paperwork. Gabriel snatched the pen out of her hand. “Initial everywhere I highlighted, sign and date at the bottom. Adoption fee is $50.” The cash was forked over and Gabriel bounced on the balls of his feet as he waited for Bowie to be brought forward. 

 

Over the last week, the little corgi had come a long way with his trust issues. Gabriel was still by far Bowie’s favorite, but Sam and Jo had been adopted by him as well (with liberal application of Gabriel’s old shirts to scent mark them). Jo carried him into the room without him making a fuss and set him on the floor, and Bowie scrambled to his best friend so quickly that his little paws skittered across the tile. 

 

Gabriel immediately hit his knees and wrapped his tan-and-white furry baby in his arms. “Hey, baby boy! Look what I've got for you!” The florist buckled the pretty blue harness around the puppy. Sam watched with tears in his eyes. The pair chatted with Jo for a few minutes before Gabriel started champing at the bit to get back to his apartment. Sam quickly typed out a message on his phone when his boyfriend's back was turned.

 

_ S: on our way back. I'll try to get him back quickly  _

 

_ C: Do, or do not. There is no try! _

 

Sam rolled his eyes at the geeky woman's response and herded Gabriel out the door, Bowie safely cradled in the florist’s arms. The walk back was indeed as slow as Sam had expected, with Gabriel being stopped every few minutes by people wanting to coo over his fluffy burden. The blonde was entirely too happy to show off his ‘bundle of joy’ as Sam kept teasingly calling the puppy. Finally, they made it home. With Gabriel's arms full -and him abjectly refusing to put Bowie down- Sam “unlocked” the already open door and gallantly waved Gabriel in with a bow.

 

“Weirdo.” Gabriel chuckled as he trotted up the stairs and into the darkened apartment. 

 

“Surprise!” A chorus of voices called as the lights came on. Gabriel jumped nearly a foot in the air and gaped like a landed fish as he took in his new decor. The “It's a Boy!” banner was strung from the ceiling, and nearly every square inch of available space was decorated with baby blue streamers, the place looked like the most flamboyant baby shower ever. Charlie and Castiel stood to either side of the cake with matching self-satisfied grins. Jo herself was perched on Gabriel's armchair, having beaten them back by driving while Sam let Gabriel drag his feet. 

 

“What the hell?” Gabriel found his voice. He was obviously fighting a fit of giggles by biting his cheek. 

 

“You've been nesting over Bowie all week! We thought we should welcome the new Milton baby home properly!” Charlie was grinning like the cat that got the canary. 

 

The florist burst out laughing. “You are all absolutely ridiculous,” He poked Sam in the chest, “and you're the worst one!” Sam chuckled. Just then, there was a knock at the door and Sam gratefully made his escape.

 

“Dean!” Sam let him in. The mechanic was carrying a bottle of Gabriel's favorite Jameson whiskey with a blue bow tied around the neck. The alcohol was met with enthusiasm and Charlie passed him a stack of blue plastic cups. Gabriel saw him stumble slightly as he noticed Castiel on the floor with Bowie, though he recovered quickly. 

 

“Holy fuck, is that a Death by Chocolate?” Gabriel spied the cake. With an indulgent chuckle, Cas got up and went to cut the sugary treat.

 

“Of course it is. What sort of little brother do you take me for?” He passed a large slice to the florist, who seized it and flopped down on his couch with a cup of whiskey. Bowie crawled up with him. Dean laughed and went to get a slice of cake. Sam sat by Gabriel and poked him, pointing at the mechanic and baker. 

 

Castiel smiled as he handed over the treat, but froze as he got a good look at the man in front of him. He nearly dropped the slice of cake in shock.

 

“ _ Green! _ Your eyes are green!” Castiel's voice shook a little. Dean stared at him, obviously startled and confused. “It's  _ you _ ! You're the one that's been sending me the presents!” Dean's ears flushed bright pink.

 

“Uhhh….” The mechanic boggled at him, his confusion only mounting when Castiel gripped his shoulder and carefully went to hug him. 

 

“Dean Winchester, you absolute idiot. You've been coming into my shop several times a week for the last few years. Why on earth wouldn't you just ask me on a date?” Dean flailed in shock as the baker's arms wrapped around him. Finally, he seemed to find his voice.

 

“How did my eyes being green tip you off?” Dean slung one arm around Castiel, taking a big sip of his whiskey with the other. 

 

Castiel chuckled and eyed Gabriel pointedly. “A talking flower told me.” Dean choked and glared at the florist.

 

“Traitor.” He spat at the blonde, though there was no venom behind it. Gabriel saluted him with his cup.

 

“Ok, let me try this the right way then… Cas, I'd like to take you on a date this weekend.” The mechanic half mumbled into his forkful of cake.

 

“Dean! Swallow before you talk, you cretin!” Charlie whacked him over the head with a pillow. 

“Thank you Dean, I'd like that.” 

 

“Fucking  _ finally!”  _ Sam cheered, getting a middle finger from his big brother in response. 

 

“Shut it, bitch.”

 

“Whatever, jerk!”

 

“Boys! Not in front of the baby!” Jo laughed, and Gabriel buried his face in his hands.

  
“I'm never gonna hear the end of the nesting jokes, am I?” 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been rough for me the last few weeks but I'm finally finding my stride again. Warnings: more fluff, more angst, more smut, and more Dean/Gabriel/Crowley plotting.

As the party wound down, Gabriel brought up the concept of them making a group trip out to Sam's dorm to retrieve his stuff and officially move him in with Gabriel. Dean, of course, was irked by the fact that Sam hadn't mentioned the move beforehand, but was far more angry when he discovered that Sam's car was inoperable.

 

“Dammit, Sammy! I'm a  _ mechanic!  _ I can fix that stupid Charger for you!” he paused in his rant, a hurt expression flashing across his face, “Why didn't you tell me?” 

 

Sam wilted. “Because you've already done so much for me, I can't keep asking you for stuff.” Dean smacked him upside the head.

 

“Oh, knock that off. I'm your big brother. It's my job.” Sam threw an empty cup at him, but relented in the face of his brother's wounded look. He fetched the keys to the broken down car and handed them over with a bitchface to end all bitchfaces. 

 

“I'll bring the wrecker and tow it to the shop tomorrow, then we can go get your shit. Stubborn little bitch.” Dean dodged a second airborne cup, this one spilling the dregs of a beer as it sailed across the room.

 

“Jerk!” 

 

“Oi! No party fouls!” Gabriel shouted.

 

********

 

As it  turned out, picking Sam's busted car up and moving his meagre possessions provided Dean with the perfect opportunity to plot with Gabriel. 

 

“So, any word?” Dean squeezed past Gabriel in the hallway, a box of textbooks in his arms.

 

Gabriel hummed an affirmative. “Crowley has dug up some serious dirt on her and wants to talk about our next move.”

 

“Well, I might happen to get lunch at the Bee tomorrow.” Dean's smirk was vicious, as though he were imagining his fingers around Ruby’s throat. Knowing him, that was  _ exactly  _ what he was picturing.

 

“Hmm, I may have plans to do the same. Maybe I'll bump into you.” The blond winked, his eyes dancing with a feral light.

 

*****

 

True to his word, Dean turned up for lunch at 

Castiel's bakery, covered in grease and soot. The baker took one look at him and sent him packing over to Gabriel’s to wash up. 

 

“Cas threw me out, said to come back when I'm clean.” Dean's rueful grin was enough to make the florist burst out laughing. 

 

“Yeah you're pretty filthy, Dean-o. Go upstairs and wash up. Get a clean shirt out of my closet while you're at it. Uncle Crowley wants to skype.” Dean flashed a sarcastic salute and took the proffered key, pausing only to scratch Bowie under the chin with a grimy finger. He returned a few minutes later, face and hands clean and sporting Gabriel's red button-down shirt. The shorter man hung up his  _ ‘Be Back Soon!’ _ sign on the way out the door.

 

“So Cas, do I pass muster?” Dean teased his sorta-boyfriend. Ice-blue eyes danced over the mechanic's body, closely followed by a badly-suppressed shiver that trickled along Dean's spine.

 

“Much better, Dean. Your food will be ready momentarily.” Dean's sputtering about paying was waved off dismissively, leaving him no choice but to join Gabriel at a table in the corner. The florist already had his laptop open and Skype open and was waiting for the call to connect. It rang twice, and then a slightly grainy image of an older black-haired man in a well-tailored suit snapped into focus.

 

“Hello, boys.” The British accent threw Dean for a loop. 

 

“Uncle Crowley! How's it hangin’?” Gabriel grinned enthusiastically around his coffee cup. 

 

“Low and to the left.” Crowley deadpanned. Dean sputtered, and the Brit fixed him with an unimpressed expression. “You must be Dean. Charming.” Castiel reappeared with two ham sandwiches on freshly baked bread, eyeing the conversation suspiciously before returning to his counter. Gabriel had no doubt in his mind that the baker was eavesdropping his ass off. 

 

“What did you find?” Gabriel murmured, keeping his voice low. 

 

“What  _ didn't  _ I find is more the question. Your little bitch has a rap sheet as long as my cock.” Dean choked on a bite of his lunch. “She's wanted in a dozen states for more felonies than most death row inmates. Arson, grand theft, assault on an officer, tax evasion, credit card fraud, and identity theft being the main ones. Several suspicious deaths are also tied to her.” The florist gave a low whistle. “And that's not all. Her name isn't actually Ruby. She was born one Bela Talbot-Harris.” Here, Crowley paused for breath and a sip from a whiskey tumbler.

 

Gabriel tapped his chin thoughtfully. “Why does that name ring a bell?” 

 

“Because the Talbots gave us Hell in the 1960’s. Got several Miltons put in an early grave.” Crowley scowled. Gabriel hummed in recognition. 

 

“So, she's a wanted woman. That's easy enough, we just call the Feds.” If looks could kill, Dean would have dropped stone dead from the glare he was fixed with.

 

“Don't be a fool, boy. The Talbots are richer than your pathetic little mind can comprehend. They have pet Senators, whole departments of the FBI are on their payroll. If we involve the authorities, she’ll slither right through our fingers, greased by a fistful of hundred dollar bills, and then have the officers killed just for looking at her wrong. No, this needs to be handled the old way.” 

 

Gabriel sat up straighter, his expression hardening in a way that made Dean's skin crawl.“So, how do we do this?”

 

***********

 

Gabriel was working his way through a pile of wedding corsages when Sam walked through the door, dropping his backpack in his haste to sweep his boyfriend up in a bone-crushing hug.The taller man gave a shaky sigh against Gabriel's blond mop. 

 

Gabriel chuckled. “You act like you didn't wake up beside me this morning!” Bowie yipped from his spot behind the counter, tiny paws flying as he scampered to get his share of the affection.

 

“Mmm...” Sam still hadn't relinquished his hold. In fact, he clung even tighter. Gabriel could feel lines of tension knotting Sam's back. 

 

“Babe… what's wrong?” The younger man's behavior was increasingly concerning, and Gabe felt his stomach knot in fear. Wordlessly, Sam pressed a crumpled piece of paper into his boyfriend's hand. Gabriel unballed it, smoothing the wrinkles with nervous fingers.

 

_ Sam, _

 

_ If you think you can just run off with your little fag and get away with it, you are sadly mistaken. I wonder how your daddy would feel about his little boy whoring himself out to men ten years older? It would be such a shame if it got back to him. And what would your classmates think? _

 

The letter was unsigned, but there was no doubt in Gabriel's mind who had sent it. At the bottom were two pictures- one of him and Sam sharing a beer at the Roadhouse, and the other of them making out against the door. 

 

Gabriel's vision went red. “I'll kill her,” He snarled, “I'll kill her dead and chop her up into little bitty bits and feed her to the fucking fish.” Above him, Sam shuddered out a sob. “Come upstairs, baby.” It was Monday, so Gabriel didn't have to worry about any customers, and he abandoned the flowers he had been working on without a second thought. He lead the distraught man out through the back of the store, locking the door behind him, and then around to the entrance to their apartment. Sam followed along silently, his head down. With his bangs obscuring his eyes, Gabriel couldn't be sure if his boyfriend was actually crying or not, and he wasn't sure which option was worse. He guided Sam to their bedroom and gathered him into his lap, letting Sam rest his head against the florist's sturdy chest. Bowie scrambled up beside them and nestled his way under Sam’s limp fingers. Sam whimpered.

 

“Shhh… baby, baby. It's ok. I promise, it's gonna be ok.” The younger man sobbed out loud this time, shaking his head in denial. Gabriel stroked his hair as the floodgates opened and Sam bawled into Gabriel's t-shirt. Gabriel hummed softly and held him tightly, letting the outburst run its course as he whispered nonsense words of comfort. 

 

It took forever for Sam to calm down enough to sit back, wiping his runny nose on his shirt sleeve. Gabriel cringed and handed him a tissue. His poor boyfriend was a wreck- eyes bloodshot and watery, cheeks all puffy, with tear tracks and snot staining his face.

 

“You ok, now?” The older man asked. Sam shrugged, eyes downcast. Gabriel bundled him back into his arms protectively. “I take it that your dad isn't exactly pro-gay rights.” There was a sniffle and a small nod against his chest. 

 

“He’d disown me if he ever found out.” Gabriel growled softly. 

 

“Doesn't sound much like a father.” Neither Winchester had been every forthcoming with info about their parents, and Gabriel hadn't pried. He understood all too well that family could be a touchy subject. Gabriel kissed the top of his head, feeling like a lead weight was settling into his gut. He heaved a long sigh. “If you want to call this off, I understand.” The blond braced himself.

 

Sam jerked in shock, yanking back to stare at Gabriel like he had grown a second head.  _ “What?! _ No! Hell no! I only just found you, I won't let her take you away!” The fire in Sam's voice matched the wrath in his eyes, and Gabriel breathed a sigh of relief. 

 

“Oh, thank God.” Gabriel drew him in for a tender, if damp, kiss. Sam responded with all the fury built up inside him, channeled into a blazing hot kiss that Gabriel had no control over. With a pleased sigh, Gabriel relaxed and gave Sam the reigns, letting the younger man ravage his mouth. Thick fingers pawed at Gabriel’s clothes, tugging and yanking until Sam's frustration won out and he ripped the black t-shirt from hem to collar, shoving it off his boyfriend's shoulders as though it had personally offended him, and Gabriel moaned at the blatant display of strength.

 

“Fuuuuu-uuk, Samshine…” Gabriel groaned around Sam’s tongue. Sam snarled in response and wrenched Gabriel's jeans open, yanking them down fast enough to give Gabriel friction burn. The florist yelped, but arched his hips up so Sam could strip him. The boxers went with the jeans, and everything ended up tangled up around Gabriel’s boots. Sam made a frustrated, broken noise as he forcibly repositioned Gabriel on his hands and knees. He sank his teeth into the meat of Gabriel’s ass, getting a shriek of pain-pleasure, and fumbled for the half-empty bottle of lube jammed under his pillow. 

 

Hobbled by his own clothes, Gabriel was practically helpless under the onslaught of Sam's lube-slicked fingers against his hole. Two thick digits wormed their way past the ring of muscle and began roughly scissoring him open. Gabriel whimpered at the delicious burn and pressed his hips back, presenting as much as he could with his ankles hogtied. Sam moaned low in his throat and pumped his fingers faster, adding a third a bit too quickly in his desperation. 

 

_ “Fuck, he's really keyed up!”  _ Gabriel thought, hissing through his teeth as Sam mercilessly dug his fingertips into Gabe’s prostate. Normally, Sam was so delicate in his foreplay, stretching and opening Gabriel tenderly, never letting him know a moment of discomfort as he prepped the smaller man. And as much as Gabriel loved him for it, there was much to be said for being taken half-raw and with a bite of pain to make the pleasure that much more delicious. The florist's vision went a bit grey around the edges as Sam's fingers were roughly withdrawn, only to be replaced by a familiar blunt heat nudging against his hole. Sam hadn't even bothered taking his clothes off, he had just pulled his cock out through his fly in his rush to bury himself in Gabriel's body. He could feel the sharp teeth of Sam's zipper against his skin as Sam bottomed out with one rough thrust.

 

“Yeeeeess…” Gabriel hissed, pressing back against Sam to encourage him. Sam snarled something incoherent and animalistic, snapping his hips sharply, not giving Gabriel any time to adjust before setting an almost violent pace, and the blond yelped as lightning scorched through his body with every thrust. One massive palm reached around to cup Gabriel’s length where it bounced against his stomach while the other tangled into his wavy hair and pulled, drawing him up onto his knees. Gabriel gasped and moaned out an inhuman sound. Every slam of Sam's hips forced Gabriel’s cock through the tight ring of his boyfriend’s fingers. Sam's teeth found the juncture between Gabriel’s shoulder and throat and sank in there, worrying the flesh until deep half moon bruises rose around imprints of perfect teeth.

 

Normally Sam was very vocal in bed, moaning and keening his pleasure until poor Castiel banged on the shared wall. Not so this time- the younger man was all but silent, only sharp gasps and desperate breaths being torn from his chest as he pounded into Gabriel’s heat without mercy. Strangely, that turned Gabriel on eve more. Sam was so far gone into this caveman headspace that he had forgotten how to form words. Gabriel was loud enough for both of them. He cried out with every sharp thrust, whimpering breathlessly in between pleas for more.

 

“Fuck, kiddo! That's it, just like that! Jesus _ fuck _ , yes!” Gabriel kept up a constant litany of filth, only half aware of what was tripping off his lips under the onslaught of pleasure. Sam was breathing raggedly, mouthing at the nape of Gabriel’s neck as his thrusts turned choppy.

 

“Sam! Oh, fuck… Sam, I'm gonna…!” Gabriel choked on his voice as his orgasm ripped out of him like a gunshot, soaking Sam's fist in white. He nearly collapsed, supported only by his boyfriend’s wildly panting chest. A handful of thrusts later, Sam came with a broken, shuddering moan. His hips rolled weakly a few times as he spilled into Gabriel's still-fluttering channel. Sam fell against his back like a puppet cut loose, and Gabriel had to struggle to roll them to the side rather than let his boyfriend’s sasquatchian form crush him into the mattress. Sam pulled Gabriel flush against his body, humming in pleasure when Gabriel snuggled backwards. A small trickle of Sam's seed leaked out around his still mostly hard cock, earning a disgruntled huff from the younger man. He gathered the thick fluid and carefully pressed it back in.

 

“Damn, now I wish I had a plug so I could keep you in me all day.” Gabriel grumbled. Sam hummed his approval. 

 

The florist snorted. “Still Caveman-Sam?” There was a huff that could have been an affirmative. “Alright, Tarzan. Take a nap. We can talk later, ok?” Sam only snored in response. Gabriel carefully fished his phone out of the jeans that were  _ still _ around his ankles and tapped out a message to his uncle.

 

_ G: Uncle C., we’ve got problems. _

A moment later, the phone buzzed with a response.

 

_ C: That's what I'm here for, boy.  _

  
Gabriel gave a humorless smile and began typing.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Angsty-angst-angst. I apologise in advance. *hides in my bunker*

With Sam being threatened with blackmail, Team Karma-Is-A-Bitch was forced to move up their timeline drastically. Crowley agreed to fly in from England as quickly as possible, giving Dean and Gabriel strict orders to not make a move until he was present.

 

“I'm serious, boys. Not one move. The last thing we need is the cops coming down on us because someone got an itchy trigger finger.” Crowley growled at them from his first-class seat. Even through the slightly grainy phone screen, the man held a commanding presence. In the background, the flight intercom dinged and the pilot reminded everyone to power down their electronics.

 

“Yessir.” Gabriel flicked a mocking salute as the line went dead. Dean heaved a frustrated sigh and slapped his palm on the counter where Gabriel was making more of the endless stream of wedding corsages. The commission was impressive and would set him up for months, but fuck was it mind numbing. Gabriel grumbled in agreement. 

 

“I can't believe that bitch is  _ blackmailing  _ him!” Dean resumed pacing the same line he had walked several dozen times, running his fingers through his hair in frustration. His lunch, a tuna sandwich from the Bee, sat untouched on Sam’s desk. 

 

Gabriel twirled the scissors he was using absentmindedly. “She won't get the chance.” Amber eyes flicked over to Dean, who was still wearing a hole in Gabriel’s black and white checkered tile. “So… your dad’s a bit of a homophobe?” The florist's voice was light, but there was an air of tightness under it. Dean shook his head.

 

“Dad’s… dad’s not much of anything any more. Hasn't been in decades.” Gabriel made a puzzled noise. “Fuck. Our mom died in a house fire when Sammy was just a baby. It was a freak accident. There was a lightning strike… mom was in Sam's room when it happened, turning on a lamp.” The mechanic paused, swallowing audibly around a lump in his throat.

 

Gabriel dug his flask out and passed it over, wincing when Dean took several deep drags from it before continuing. “They said she never felt a thing, she was gone before the fire even really started. Dad threw Sammy into my arms and told me to run- we barely made it out. Mom died November 2nd, 1983, and took my dad’s soul with her. I've been waiting for years to get the call that the rest of him finally caught up. I don't think he’d give a rat’s ass that Sam’s shacked up with a dude, because that would mean caring about something other than where his next bottle of rotgut is coming from.”

 

The florist stared, slackjawed, at the other man. “Jesus fuck. I'm sorry, man.” The words felt worthless in his mouth but he choked them out anyways, unsure of what else to do. The pair stood in silence for a long while, both lost in their private thoughts. Finally, Dean cleared his throat awkwardly.

 

“I'm gonna get back to work. Text me when you've got an update.” He looked very old and worn as he passed Gabriel the empty flask and strode out of the shop with his hands balled into fists. Gabriel gave a dejected groan and returned to his work, trying to bury himself in flowers until Sam returned from class. 

 

********

 

Sam was subdued when he arrived, hardly saying a word as he flopped into his desk chair and started laying out textbooks. Gabriel kissed his forehead on the way by

 

“Another paper?” Sam barely grunted an affirmative, though he leaned into Gabriel's fingers as they toyed with his brown locks. The older man sighed softly and wound a strand around his fingertip.

 

“Sit tight. If anybody comes in, tell them I'll be back in a snap.” Another hum of acknowledgement and a carelessly flapped hand was all the florist got as he darted next door, practically leaving a smoke trail. 

 

Castiel looked up from the cookies he had been icing, startled- Gabriel had already been over for lunch and it was rare for him to return so soon.

 

“Gabriel! Was there something wrong with your meal?” The baker set aside the icing bag with a concerned frown. 

 

“No, no! It’s Sam. He's… well, there's something bad going on and he's upset and I was hoping you might take pity and brew a cup of tea for him or something.” The blond fidgeted under his friend's deepening scowl.

 

“This wouldn't have anything to do with that ill-tempered British man you and Dean were having a suspiciously hushed conversation with, would it?” Castiel's head cocked to one side in consternation and Gabriel groaned- apparently he wasn't as subtle as he had hoped. He wilted a bit under the other man’s intense stare.

 

“Look, Cassie. Baby bro. I swear on all things chocolate that I'll tell you what's going on, but right now Samshine needs some sort of magic tea or something. He's been a mess of nerves since yesterday.” Cas took in Gabriel's pleading expression and the way he was wringing his hands and relented with a soft  _ “Dammit, Gabriel”.  _ He set water boiling in his electric tea kettle and began rooting around through the line of neatly labeled glass jars full of dried herbs, retrieving ones marked linden, chamomile, and catnip. Gabriel blinked in surprise at the last one. 

 

“Uhh, Cassie? His tendency to purr when I play with his hair notwithstanding, I'm pretty sure Sam isn't a feline.”

 

Castiel scoffed. “For a florist, you know remarkably little about the medicinal aspect of plants.  _ Nepeta Cataria _ is soothing to humans and will ease restlessness.” He began gently grinding pinches of the herbs in a stone basin while the water began bubbling. The sweet-smelling mix was scooped into a metal basket that pinched closed on itself and dropped into a ceramic mug. A drizzle of honey followed, then the hot water. Cas handed the mug over and wrapped up one of Sam’s favorite raspberry tarts, shooing his friend out the door despite his protests.

 

“I expect a  _ full  _ report, Gabriel. I know trouble when I see it.” The baker shut the door firmly behind him and Gabriel grumbled halfheartedly about meddling baby brothers as he trudged back into his own business. 

 

Sam was right where Gabriel had left him, staring at textbook with a blank expression and a pencil dangling limply from his fingers. He jumped a bit when the snack appeared in front of him, confirming Gabriel's suspicion about him being completely off in space.

 

“Here, baby. Drink up. Cassie made it special for you.” Gabriel blew across the mug a couple of times to cool the tea before handing it over. Sam blinked in surprise but took a sniff, a pleased expression washing over his face at the pleasant aroma. He took a sip and nibbled at the tart and Gabriel breathed a sigh of relief when some of the tension in Sam's shoulders eased. He rubbed them gently, reveling in the soft groan that clawed its way out of his boyfriend’s chest. With a final hair scritch, Gabriel returned to the counter and resumed cursing whichever of Miss Rosy’s Gods had invented carnations. Sam nibbled at his treat and nursed the tea as he began scribbling notes.

 

Some time later, Bowie made his desire for a walk known by sinking his little teeth into Sam’s battered Converse and tugging on the laces. Sam chuckled and scooped up the little ball of fluff, snuggling him closely.

 

“Somebody needs to go out, babe.” Gabriel was already on his way to meet them, Bowie’s harness and leash in hand. Sam glanced at the clock. “Gabe, it's not even four. You can't close up yet.”

 

Gabriel scoffed. “What are they gonna do, fire me?” Sam laughed and rolled his eyes. “Come on, let's blow this popsicle stand, I hear the park calling my name!” Puppy and owner alike were halfway out the door already, with matching pleading expressions. Sam caved and joined them, flicking the sign over to “CLOSED” and locking the door when Gabriel forgot to. 

 

Hand in hand, Sam and Gabe set off with Bowie scampering around their feet. The park in question was a small but bustling grassy patch in the center of town. It was frequently used for weddings, concerts, and games of disk golf. Once there, Bowie was allowed off his leash to chase the miniature tennis ball Sam flung for him. The tiny pup made quite a sight as his stumpy little legs moved at warp nine, and the couple soon devolved into a giggling pile of limbs on the soft grass. 

 

Gabriel should have known everything was too good to be true… just as Bowie retrieved his ball and spun around to return for his umpteenth trip, a stunningly beautiful brunette  woman stomped past on the cement path nearby. The florist had time to register how out of place she seemed in her high heels and leather jacket before she fixed him with a nasty smile and swung a foot at the tan and white fuzzball as he darted past. 

 

“Bowie!” Gabriel cried as his puppy rolled across the grass, yelping in pain. Sam was on his feet faster, sprinting over and scooping him up.

 

“Ruby, you  _ bitch!”  _ Gabriel stopped in his tracks as Sam drew himself up to his full height, towering over the woman. The look of malice he fixed her with made Gabriel's blood curdle. Sam advanced on her, his free hand clenched into a white-knuckled fist, and she had the gall to smirk at the mountain of a man who looked like he might rip her in half with his bare hands.

 

“Ah-ah-ah, Sammy. It wouldn't do for you to assault a woman in front of so many witnesses.” Her dark eyes glanced around pointedly at the bystanders who had all frozen to stare. Sam snarled deep in his chest and unclenched his fist with supreme effort. 

 

Ruby clicked her tongue. “That's right. Now, take your little cocksucker and go home. Go on.” She made a shooing motion with both manicured hands before turning on her heel and strutting off. Sam gritted his teeth hard enough to creek audibly. 

 

“Come on, Sam. Karma’s a bitch, she’ll get what's coming to her.” Gabriel's voice was soft, icy in his rage where Sam was an inferno. Bowie whimpered again, seemingly snapping Sam out of his murderous fog. 

 

“I think his leg’s broken.” The younger man’s voice quivered. The puppy had the injured limb pulled up at a strange angle, and fury coursed through Gabriel again as he tenderly stroked his baby’s fur.

 

“Let's get him to Jo.”

 

********

 

As it turned out, poor Bowie did indeed have a broken paw, and Gabriel burst into tears when Jo brought him out of the operating room with a tiny robins egg blue cast engulfing his right front leg. 

 

“Poor baby…” Gabriel sobbed into the puppy’s fur as Bowie blearily tried to lick his cheek.

 

“It's a fracture, but not too severe. He’ll be just fine in a few weeks.” The head veterinarian, a brunette with bouncy curls named Meg, followed Jo into the waiting room to go over Bowie’s pain management regime and how to care for the cast until it was removed.

 

“I still think you should press charges.” Meg grumbled. Sam shook his head wearily. 

 

“No. That will just make it even worse.” The younger Winchester looked absolutely exhausted, as though all the fight had gone out of him, leaving behind no trace of the bright smile that Gabriel had fallen in love with. While Sam was distracted by Meg’s detailed medical instructions, Gabriel updated Crowley and Dean on the situation. His phone went off multiple times in rapid succession as both men went ballistic, demanding Ruby’s head on a pike. Although Dean wasn't much of a dog person, he had a soft spot for Bowie, and Uncle Crowley had a pair of Dobermans that were like his children. Once their anger seemed to subside, Gabriel began planning.

 

_ G: She's escalating. I don't think we have much longer before she does something again. _

 

Both men quickly agreed.

 

_ C: It needs to be soon, then. As soon as possible. Does your boytoy know anything? _

 

_ D: Watch it! That's my baby brother! _

 

_ C: Yeah, yeah. If not, we need the Moose out of the way. I don't want him involved. _

 

_ G: he's in the dark, but I think Cas has made us. Kid is entirely too observant. _

 

_ D: son of a bitch. I don't want Cas involved in this! _

 

_ G: too late. He made me swear to fill him in, and now that Bowie is hurt… I don't think we could stop him if we tried. _

 

_ D: NO _

 

_ C: Oh shut up, Squirrel. We need someone distract the Jolly Green Giant while we gank the bitch. _

 

_ G: I'll talk to Cassie when Sam goes to class tomorrow. It’s his long day. _

 

_ C: Fine. I will send someone to keep an eye on him, in case Ruby tries anything else. _

 

_ D: Do I not get a say in this?! _

 

_ G: No! _

 

_ C: No! _

  
  



	9. Chapter 9

With Bowie safely bundled into his massive, fluffy bed and doped up on his pain meds, Sam and Gabriel settled onto the couch. The younger man was still quietly seething, unable to even pretend to focus on the Firefly marathon Gabriel had put on. Gabriel was no better off, to be honest. All he could focus on was The Plan. The Plan was still in work, but Crowley had promised to put several of his minions on Ruby’s tail, watching for the right moment to strike. Dean had briefly protested the idea of adding kidnapping to the laundry list of felonies they would be charged with if caught, though once Crowley pointed out that they couldn’t very well deal with her in public, he had agreed. Another man had been charged with keeping an eye on Sam while he was on campus. That just left the Sam-distraction.

 

When Sam got up to check on Bowie for the umpteenth time, Gabriel whipped his phone out and messaged Castiel.

 

_ G: Cassie, I need a favor. _

 

There was a brief delay before the baker responded.

 

_ C: What is it, Gabriel? _

 

_ G: Can we talk about it in the garden tomorrow? It’s important. _

 

_ C: So clandestine. Yes, of course. I assume it has something to do with that foul-tempered British man and poor Bowie’s injury? _

 

_ G: Something like that.  _

 

_ C: Then I will see you in the morning. _

 

The florist stashed his phone just as Sam returned. The younger man sighed heavily and threw himself onto the couch, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend and dragging him closer until Gabriel was all but laying on top of Sam. 

 

“How is he?” Gabriel asked softly.

 

Sam gave a weary sigh as he petted Gabriel’s wavy hair. “Asleep. Poor little guy.” Gabriel made a noise of agreement and let himself relax so that Sam could use him as an enormous teddy bear. The TV droned on in the background, though neither man paid it any attention. Every few strokes, Sam tugged gently, drawing a soft groan from the blond. Gabriel nuzzled his way into the crook of Sam’s neck so he could pepper the tender skin with soft kisses. With a low groan, Sam rolled his head back to give Gabriel better access. The florist grinned against Sam’s skin and sucked hard, drawing a deep bruise to the surface and making his boyfriend pant raggedly. Under his hips, Gabriel could feel Sam’s burgeoning arousal and he ground against it.

 

“G’briel… fuck, I love you so much, baby.” Sam rumbled. Gabriel purred in response, dancing his fingers under Sam’s shirt to toy with a nipple. 

 

“Love you too, Samshine. More than you’ll ever know.” Gabriel rolled the small bud between his fingers, drawing a ragged gasp from Sam’s throat. His back arched into a deep bow, nearly causing Gabriel to slide off his chest and onto the floor as Gabriel teased and tasted. 

 

_ ‘Hmm… not a bad idea, actually.’  _ Gabriel thought. He slithered to the floor and tugged a surprised Sam into the position he wanted- namely, sprawling with his legs spread obscenely. The older man made quick work of Sam’s worn sweatpants and threw them somewhere in the vague direction of their bedroom. Sam tugged his shirt off and lobbed it after. Gabriel nibbled and kissed Sam’s inner thighs, scraping his two-day stubble over the sturdy muscles, before following it up with delicate kisses. He ignored Sam’s rapidly thickening cock in favor of sinking love bites all across his thighs. 

 

“Need you, angel.” Sam breathed, canting his hips up in blatant invitation, and who was Gabriel to refuse such an offering? His tongue trailed down Sam’s balls, over his perineum, and finally lapped tenderly at his core. Sam mewled and tightened his grip on Gabriel’s hair. 

 

“You’ve got me, Sam.” Gabriel breathed against Sam’s most sensitive flesh. He flicked his tongue out and laved at the tight whorl of muscle, teasing the tip in just enough to breach it before withdrawing and returning to his little kitten licks. He reveled in the soft, breathy whimpers Sam wasn’t even aware he was making. Gabriel clenched his eyes shut against the prickle of liquid threatening to escape.

 

_ ‘God, I could lose him tomorrow. Even if we snag the bitch, we could get caught. We could get  _ killed. _ I may never see him again.’  _ The thought swirled over and over in Gabriel’s mind as he worshipped his love.  _ ‘But it’ll be worth it. Even if this is it… it doesn't matter. As long as my Sam is safe.’  _ Gabriel kept up his tender ministrations, lapping over and over at Sam’s slowly loosening pucker. He speared his tongue in, delighting in the way Sam’s thighs trembled and clenched around his head as though he could draw him even deeper. 

 

The florist breathed in Sam’s scent, here where it was strongest. Sweat and musk and the younger man’s body wash and something spicy, something unique to his lover, something better than any flower ever grown. Gabriel tried to burn it into his mind, right next to the desperate whimpers and choked groans that might have been an attempt at his name. Right next to the earthy taste of his beloved writhing on the tip of his tongue. 

 

Sam’s hands clenched almost painfully tight in Gabriel’s sweat-dampened hair, wordlessly encouraging him on. The younger man was shaking from his toes all the way up, and a beautiful flush had worked its way as far down as his sternum. Gabriel didn’t pause to appreciate it, redoubling his efforts despite the cramp in his jaw. Sam moaned desperately, his voice climbing higher and higher until it cracked, his whole body going bowstring tight as he erupted all over his stomach without a hand ever touching his cock. 

 

Gabriel moaned hungrily and scrambled to lick the mess off Sam’s shaking abs. As for the younger man, he was desperately trying to catch his breath and reclaim control over his limp muscles. He cupped Gabriel’s cheek and caressed his beloved’s jaw with his thumb.

 

“Please, Gabe…” Sam sighed. He sounded half asleep, but that didn’t deter Gabriel from tugging him down onto the floor and settling fully between Sam’s splayed legs. The florist fished a half-empty bottle of Astroglide out of the couch cushions and stripped out of his lounge clothes so fast that he heard a seam rip. He gave exactly zero fucks, far more interested in working three lube-slicked fingers into the brunet as quickly as possible. 

 

Sam blinked blearily at him, obviously drifting already. “Now…” He murmured, weakly nudging at Gabriel’s thighs with his heels. Gabriel was helpless to disobey and he ran his slicked palm over his own dick just long enough to spread the lubricant around before sinking into his boyfriend’s heat with a choked curse. Sam’s body drew him in, welcoming him in the way only his soulmate could, and Gabriel shook with the enormity of it.

 

“I love you, Sam. So, so much.” 

 

Sam smiled tenderly and kissed him. “Love you too, Gabe.” The florist’s thrusts picked up tempo, driving into the man under him over and over as he raced for the edge at breakneck speed. He wormed a hand between them and caught Sam’s cock in his grip, stroking his renewed erection in counterpoint. A slight adjustment in angle and Gabriel was slicing across Sam’s prostate with every stroke. The younger man squealed, still hypersensitive from his first orgasm, and raked his nails down Gabriel’s spine, causing the blond to go rigid as his release swept through him. A couple of weak strokes later, Sam followed. 

 

By the time Gabriel had his breathing under control, Sam was out cold. Gabriel smiled softly and withdrew from his lover’s body, gathering him up into his arms. He struggled a little under Sam’s weight but eventually was able to carry him to their bed. He tucked Sam in with a tender kiss on the temple and curled himself around the Winchester, following him into blissfully dreamless slumber.

 

\---------------

 

Gabriel awoke to Sam creeping out of bed. The younger man was lacing up his running shoes, still shirtless as he moved around the dimly lit bedroom. 

 

“Be careful, Sammich.” Gabriel murmured, startling a jump out of the other man. Sam’s face lit up and he immediately returned to bed, cuddling Gabriel into his arms and kissing him breathless. 

 

When Sam finally let go, Gabriel stared at him in wonder. “Not that I’m complaining, but what brought that on?” 

 

Sam gave him a blinding grin. “I just love you so damned much.” He bumped their noses together before retrieving his shirt and trotting out into the living room, leaving a bemused Gabriel still tangled up in the sheets. The florist quickly got dressed and followed after, stealing one last kiss at the base of the stairs. Cas was outside in the dawn light, doodling bees on the front window of his bakery with paint markers. He handed Gabriel a steaming cup and watched them indulgently.

 

“Have a good run, Sam.” The Winchester waved in response, already settling his earbuds into place as he jogged off. Castiel watched suspiciously when another man jogged past, staying about a half block behind Sam. The baker immediately rounded on his friend.

 

“Gabriel, what the Hell is going on?” Castiel hissed, his eyes flashing dangerously. Gabriel sighed and began explaining between sips of coffee.

 

\--------------

 

“So, that’s where we stand. Uncle Crowley has someone poised to snatch the bitch as soon as he gives the word. There’s also a few well placed protectors tailing Sam to make sure that she doesn’t hurt him again.”

 

The baker leveled him with an inscrutable look. “And you need someone to make sure that Sam doesn’t try to interfere?” Gabriel nodded morosely. 

 

“Yeah. You know him- despite abusing him, blackmailing him, and hurting Bowie, he’s such a tender heart that he would beg us to back down.”

 

Castiel was silent for a few long heartbeats. “And you’d obey.” It wasn’t a question.

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Because you love him.”

 

“More than my own life.” 

 

“I will figure something out.” Castiel nodded firmly, as though to punctuate the statement, and Gabriel could have kissed him for it. He settled for hugging his adopted brother tightly enough to make the taller man squeak.

 

“I owe you, Cassie.”

 

“Just make me your best man, and we’ll call it even.” 

 

Gabriel choked on his coffee, snorting scalding hot liquid out of his nose. “Ain’t it a little early to be hearing wedding bells, Cas??” He coughed, wiping at his face. Castiel cackled. 

 

By the time Sam returned from his run, Castiel had already come up with a plan to get Sam out of the way. He presented the sweat-soaked man with his customary coffee, waiting patiently until Sam had gulped several mouthfuls before springing his plan.

 

“Sam, I was wondering if you could help me with something.” Sam made an affirmative, questioning sound and kept drinking.

 

“When my mother died, she left a large collection of books to me. I have been...unable to bring myself to catalogue them, so they have sat in my storage unit since her funeral.” The Winchester winced in sympathy and gestured for Cas to continue. “It has been several years, and I find myself wishing to finally open the boxes and decide what to do with them. Would you be willing to help me? I am unsure if I can do it alone.”

 

Sam smiled softly. “Of course, Cas. When were you wanting to look them over?” 

 

“Would tonight be acceptable? I fear that the longer I wait, the less likely I will be able to go through with it.”

 

Immediately, Sam tugged the baker into a hug, which was awkwardly returned.

 

“Sure, Cas. Rip the bandaid off, right?” Castiel nodded as Sam released him. “I’ll tell Gabe, and we can start as soon as I get home from class.”

 

The news that Sam would be otherwise occupied for the evening was both a relief and a weight in Gabriel’s gut. He found himself unable to work while his boyfriend was at school, fiddling with slowly wilting flowers with no enthusiasm. He spread the word to Dean and Uncle Crowley, who were considerably more enthusiastic. Gabriel just felt sick. By the time Sam returned, Gabriel had thrown up twice, though he did his best to hide his wretched mood from the man he adored so deeply. Sam dropped off his backpack and popped over to see Cas, though not before Gabriel hugged him desperately and kissed him within an inch of his life. 

 

“I love you, Sam. You know that, right?” Gabriel hissed between kisses. Sam held him close.

 

“Baby I love you too. What’s going on? You’ve been acting weird for days.” The blond shook his head.

 

“Nothing, sweetheart. It’s nothing. Go have fun getting your bookworm on with Cassie, ok?” He nudged Sam out the door and down the sidewalk. Once Sam was safely inside the Bee, Gabriel retreated into his home and called his uncle. The Brit picked up on the third ring.

 

“He’s safe.” Gabriel’s voice was dark and flat.

 

“Then we move.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're drawing close to the end, here. One more chapter, maybe two... I'm not sure how to feel about that.


	10. Chapter 10

In the end, it was almost too easy for Crowley’s men to snatch Ruby off the streets. Some very clever hacking of the transportation grid caused several multi-car accidents, forcing the woman to divert the route she was driving straight into Crowley’s clutches. By the time she realized she had just wandered into a trap, it was far too late. A pistol whip to the back of the skull later, Crowley himself threw her unconscious form into the trunk of his black 1970 Lincoln Continental and spirited her away. By the time she came to, they had her exactly where they wanted her.

 

“Rise and shine, bitch!” Gabriel threw a bucket of ice water over the woman. Ruby shrieked, immediately thrashing against the handcuffs that kept her restrained to the harsh, unpadded metal chair. She sputtered and coughed even as she snarled. The florist knew the instant she registered the crumbling, foreboding warehouse she was being held captive in- Ruby went off on a profane streak so vile that it would have made Castiel’s ears singe. As it was, Crowley simply laughed and started a stopwatch. 

 

“...and I’ll fucking kill all of you, but not before I rip every person you’ve ever loved limb from limb, starting with that little cocksucker Sam!” Ruby paused, panting for breath as she fought to get free. 

 

“Three minutes, forty-seven seconds. I’ve seen better, but bonus points for the rather creative threat to beat me to death with my own skull.” The Brit remarked dryly, causing Ruby to scream incoherently again.

 

“Scream all ya want, bitch. Nobody’s gonna hear you.” Dean finally spoke up. The mechanic had an extremely dark look in his eyes as he casually cleaned his nails with a wicked looking knife, and Gabriel suppressed a shudder at his almost demonic expression. He glanced back at Ruby just in time to see a look of very real fear flash across her face before she pulled her snide mask back on, obviously expecting them to start threatening her in turn.

 

The three men stared her down, letting her squirm internally for a few minutes. She yanked at the cuffs on her wrists and ankles, trying in vain to get free. The woman slowly seemed to turn frantic, pulling hard enough that the metal sliced into her wrists and a thin trickle of crimson dripped down onto the stained concrete below her. She hissed in pain and stilled again.

 

“So, what do you want? Is it money? Let me out of here and I’ll give you a blank cheque.” Crowley snorted derisively. 

 

“I’m richer than your entire family put together, Bela Talbot.” Ruby blanched.

 

“How do you know my name?” 

 

Crowley grinned at her, all teeth. “I know everything about you, you stupid bint. And believe me, I will take special pleasure in getting my revenge for the death of Ramiel Jones, February 18th, 1974. Protecting my nephew’s boyfriend is just a happy byproduct.” Ruby gave him a blank look, though Gabriel winced- forty years later, Crowley still hadn’t let go of his lost love. Not that Gabriel blamed him in the slightest. 

 

Ruby snorted as she put the pieces together. “Oh lovely,  _ another _ fag. How precious. And what about you,” She fixed Dean with an icy glare, “are you another limp-dicked queerboy, too?”

 

Dean growled low in his chest. “Fuck you, you soulless bitch. I’m Sam’s big brother, and you fucked with the wrong family.” Gabriel felt a surge of pride towards the man that one day might be his brother-in-law if he had anything to say about it. That pride turned to rage when Ruby began cackling.

 

“Oh, that’s just so beautiful!” She spat. “Big brother is gonna protect ickle bitty baby Sammykins from the big, bad monster! Do you wipe his ass for him, too?” She shrieked in shock and pain when Dean backhanded her. 

 

Spitting out a mouthful of blood from her split lip, Ruby flashed him a crimson smirk. “I think I’ll kill you first.” 

 

“Oh, stop your posturing, you useless waste of oxygen. One way or the other, you’re not leaving this warehouse unless it’s in a body bag.” Gabriel growled at her. She spat again, managing to land it on Gabriel’s shoes. Gabriel hauled back and punched her, snapping her head back with the force of it.

 

“Eye for an eye, you cunt.” Gabriel smirked as bruising began to appear around the woman’s left eye. 

 

“And you’re next, but not before I slit your little mongrel from ass to throat, while you watch.” Gabriel saw red, his pulse thundering in his ears. Before he knew what he was doing, he had snatched the knife from Dean’s hand. He fisted his free hand into Ruby’s tangled hair and yanked, baring her throat.

 

“No, don’t…!” Crowley started, but Gabriel had already brought the blade down. Delicate flesh parted with no resistance and the florist caught a faceful of the demon woman’s lifeblood as it sprayed. Terror flashed in her eyes and she clawed at the chair, still fighting for her freedom even as her own heartbeat bled her out. Gabriel watched, transfixed, as the light faded from her eyes and with a last choked gurgle, she went limp. 

 

“Son of a bitch… you just totally John Wick-ed her!” Dean’s face was some combination of green and deathly pale, as though he was fighting to not puke on his boots then and there. Crowley regarded his nephew with an appraising look. 

 

“You picked the wrong career, boy.” The older man carefully pried the gore-covered knife out of Gabriel’s hand, quickly wiping the hilt with a cloth to remove fingerprints before throwing it to the floor at the dead woman’s feet. The blond said nothing, though his shoulders were beginning to shake.

 

Crowley clapped a hand on Gabriel’s shoulder, gently shaking him. Gabriel jerked as if he had been tased, his eyes wild. “I...I… Jesus  _ fuck…!” _

 

“It’s over, Gabriel. You did good. Sam’s safe, and I got my pound of flesh from the fucking Talbots. Now lets go, before the bloody police show up.” The Brit was already steering Gabriel towards the door marked “Fire Escape” in faded, peeling red paint. Dean glanced back one more time, choking down bile, and followed them out.

 

Crowley dug a long black trench coat out of his trunk and wrapped it around the shellshocked florist’s shoulders before shoving him into the passenger seat. Dean climbed into the back, still staring speechless at the unassuming blond man who had just slaughtered a woman. He made a mental note to never piss him off as Crowley quickly got them back on the interstate and away from the bloodbath. Gabriel stared out the windshield, eyes unseeing, for several miles before he suddenly made a choked noise.

 

“Shit! Pull over!” Dean barked, hopping out before Crowley even had the car in park. Dean wrenched Gabriel’s door open and dragged him out by the shirt, uncaring of the bloody smear left on his skin as he helped his brother’s boyfriend over to the ditch. Gabriel fell onto all fours and retched, choking as what felt like everything he had eaten all week made a violent reappearance. Dean gingerly rubbed his back and supported his forehead with the other hand. 

 

When Gabriel’s illness seemed to subside, Dean stripped his flannel button down off and used it to mop sweat, blood, snot, and puke off the florist’s face. Crowley appeared with a bottle of water, and Dean cracked it open before carefully bringing it to the smaller man’s lips.

 

“Rinse your mouth out.” Dean’s voice was gruff, but there was very poorly concealed concern hidden under it. Gabriel obediently swished a mouthful before spitting it out with a disgusted groan. “Now drink the rest of it.” Again, Dean’s orders were followed silently and without even a token protest. Dean shot Crowley a worried look, and the older man gripped Gabriel’s bicep, guiding him up off his knees. 

 

“Come on, boy. Let’s get you somewhere you can get cleaned up.” Gabriel nodded weakly as he was loaded back into the car.

 

They drove in silence for for a while before Crowley cleared his throat. “For what it’s worth, I puked after my first kill, too.” Gabriel gave a disbelieving snort, the most noise he’d made since the warehouse. “It’s true! I was still in training. Hurled all over the Boss who was showing me the ropes.”

 

Dean burst out laughing, and even Gabriel managed a weak chuckle. “Shut it, Winchester. Bollocks… the point is that if you  _ hadn’t _ had a bad reaction, I’d be worried about you.”

 

Gabriel pondered that for a moment. “How am I supposed to live with what I just did?”

 

“Boy, you just made the whole world safer and ensured that your Sam will never end up like my poor Rami did.” Dean nodded enthusiastically as the British man spoke. 

 

“Sam can never know about this.” Gabriel declared.

 

“It’ll be all over the news eventually. Someone will notice that she’s gone missing.” Dean pointed out. “Maybe we should go back and torch the place,” Crowley quickly cut him off as he took an exit off the highway.

 

“No. Never go back to the scene. It’s too damned risky. I have some very well placed people in the police force and FBI. I’ll call in some favors, get it labeled a suicide or something.” The rest of the drive was silent, each lost in their own thoughts. 

 

Once they were safely in the multi-car garage attached to Crowley’s temporary home, Gabriel was hustled inside and to the showers. Dean tried to linger and get a better look at a Rolls Royce Phantom that was parked nearby, but he was quickly dragged out by his ear.

 

“That car is worth more than every penny your family will make for the next three generations. Keep your dirty mitts off it, Squirrel.” Dean flipped him off behind his back, staring longingly as he was pulled away. Gabriel was provided with some spare clothes - “Yours will have to be burned”- and the three men lingered for a moment as they got ready to part ways.

 

“Gabriel, I’m proud of how you handled today. Damned proud. If you ever decide to come back to the family, you let me know.”

 

Gabriel snorted. “Thanks, but no thanks. The closest I ever want to be to death again is funeral wreaths.” 

 

“Fair enough. Don’t be such a stranger, boy.” Crowley patted the florist on the shoulder as Gabriel climbed into the passenger side of Dean’s Impala. Gabriel heaved a sigh of relief- It was over...

  
  


*************

Epilogue

 

Sam was sprawled out on the couch, dozing away a lazy Sunday with Bowie on his chest, when it happened. One moment he was drifting off to sleep, the next he was wide awake, staring, transfixed, with his jaw all but on the floor. He lunged for the TV remote and cranked the volume up.

 

_ “....uby Harris, also known as Bella Talbot, found dead this morning. Harris, the only daughter of accused crime syndicate boss Cain Harris, had been reported missing last week. Preliminary reports are labeling her death a suicide, though foul play has not officially been ruled out. Her family has not been reached for comments, and the investigation is ongoing.”  _

 

Sam’s chest clenched- on the one hand, he loathed the bitch. But on the other, he wasn’t one to wish death on anyone. He stood, trembling in shock, and made his way down to his boyfriend’s shop. Gabriel was right where Sam had expected to find him- elbow deep in a large floral arrangement. He looked up when the bell jingled, his face morphing into a wide grin when he took in his sleep-mussed lover’s appearance.

 

“Samshine! Perfect timing, I was about to go next door for….” Gabriel trailed off as he recognized Sam’s troubled expression. “What’s wrong, baby?” 

 

Sam threw himself into his study chair, cuddling Bowie close to his chest. “Ruby’s dead,” He said listlessly, and Gabriel quickly schooled his expression. “It was on the news.”

 

“Well, I can’t say that I’m sorry to hear that after what she did to you and Bowie.” The florist vindictively snipped several stems shorter. 

 

Sam heaved a sigh and scrubbed his stubbled cheeks with his free hand. “I know. And part of me is  _ glad _ she’s gone. What kind of person does that make me?”

 

Gabriel popped one fist on his hip and brandished his flower shears with the other hand. “Listen here, Samshine. Karma is a bitch, and that bitch just bit her. I’m not gonna waste any breath on mourning her.” He hopped over the counter and pulled Sam into a hug. The younger man buried his face in Gabriel’s chest and breathed in, surrounding himself with his lover. 

 

“Let's head upstairs for a bit, ok?” Before Sam could protest, Gabriel dragged him up to their apartment and pushed him back down onto the couch. The florist promptly crawled into Sam’s lap and sprawled out so that he was laying on top of his boyfriend. As they snuggled together, Sam carded his fingers through Gabriel’s curls.

 

Eventually, Sam sighed. “You’re right.” Sam’s voice was muffled against the top of Gabriel’s head. Gabriel smiled against Sam’s chest when Bowie registered his displeasure at being squashed. The florist sat up and Sam got to his feet, stretching and popping his back before meandering off to the bathroom.

 

“Aww, poor baby! Were your Daddies mooshing you?” Gabriel cooed as he scratched the little corgi’s ears..

 

“We can’t both be his daddy, it’ll just confuse him.” Sam called.

 

Gabriel scoffed. “And why not? Same-sex married couples can adopt, ya know.” He set Bowie on the floor, mindful of the puppy’s cast. The blue plaster didn’t slow the corgi down in the slightest as he skittered after Sam’s voice. Gabriel followed along.

 

“And I’m happy for that, but you missed an important detail there. They’re not about to hand a kid over to people who have been dating for like….two months.” 

 

“So, marry me.” It was out of Gabriel’s mouth before his brain caught up. The resulting silence was so resounding that Gabriel could hear Sam emptying his bladder.

 

“You did  _ not  _ just propose to me while I was taking a piss.” Sam sounded equal parts amused and resigned.

 

“Oops?” Gabriel chuckled, his cheeks turning pink. Sam said nothing more. The toilet flushed, then the sink turned on as Gabriel’s anxiety kicked into high drive. 

 

“I kinda hate you.” The Winchester emerged, drying his hands on his pant legs absentmindedly. His adoring grin belayed the words.

 

“You really, really don’t.” Gabriel teased back. He kissed Sam’s cheek. “I’m not hearing a ‘no’.” Sam sighed affectionately. 

 

“That’s because there wasn’t one, you absolute idiot.” He dipped to kiss the shorter man, giggling against his lips. Sam scooped his boyfriend up, spinning them in a circle, before kissing him soundly again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaand... It's done! I feel like this is a great place to leave Sam and Gabe- their nemesis has been vanquished, their lives can move forward together on a good note. Thank you to everyone who read, subscribed, commented, and gave kudos! I know my updates are sporadic at best, but unfortunately that's just how my writing works. I've already got more ideas nipping at my heels, though, so I'll be back soon!


End file.
